Who Are You ?
by Lil Badger 101
Summary: An accident at a crime scene causes Greg to lose his memory and Nick makes it his mission to help Greg and get it back. Will everything go to plan? no slash. please review! x
1. Chapter 1: Last Blow

**Hey guys I'm back to annoy you all ;) with my longest story so far! I hope I keep you hooked from beginning to end, so enjoy!  
Title for this story inspired by the show's theme song ^_^**

**Disclaimer: i own absolutely nothing to do with the CSI franchise**

**Please Review :D xx**

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**Chapter 1: Last Blow**

_**Greg's POV…**_

What. The. Hell.

That is all that's running through my mind as I lay in an awkward position down on the floor; I do not have the strength to move. I am on my back with my arms out at a forty five degree angle, palms facing upwards, my fingers twitching slightly as I seem to have lost control of my nerves. My knees are bent so my legs are stuck out to my left. My head is to the right so I am facing the doorway from which my assailant fled, but the door is now closed so I am hidden from the rest of the world.

I feel the cold blood begin to slide down the left side of my face and my hair beginning to clump together because of the sticky blood surrounding the wound. I have a pounding headache that feels like my head is going to explode and in some aspects I wish it just would so this seemingly never ending pain would just go away. My vision is very blurred and has even gone completely black in the corners. I am not crying though, tears would just make me seem even more vulnerable so I rarely ever cry; besides I don't have the energy. I can only just make out my gun a few inches from my right hand were I dropped it. I didn't even get chance to use it.

I cannot get enough air in through my nose, so I am instead taking deep ragged breathes through my mouth. My chest is bobbing up and down in rhythm with these breathes but only just, there is some inconsistency.

At the moment it seems that my ears are the only thing of use to me. Which I have to say I hate because they are the things I hate most about my appearance, I believe them to stick out too much and I think they make me look like Dumbo, but enough about my vanity.

I can still hear properly and know there are people, my colleagues, moving around downstairs because I can hear them walking on the creaky floorboards. How the hell they had not heard me being attacked I do not know. The house we are in is really big and old, maybe that had something to do with it, or maybe the others were just too busy to notice. They will realise soon. I hope. I pray. But these prayers do not seem to be working and I have lost all sense of how long I have been laying here.

"Help" I croak, but it is barely a whisper. My throat is dry and I can almost physically feel my energy levels are getting lower and lower by the second. "Help me" I try again, this time my voice seems to be at normal sound level. _Come on_ I think to myself in encouragement. _Come on you just have to push through the pain. _"Somebody please help me!" I yell, and that completely wipes me out.

My body goes totally limp now. My fingers no longer twitching and my eyes begin to close. My chest is bobbing up and down less than before and now even my ears are beginning to fail me. I hear someone come running up the stairs, I think they are calling my name but I can't be sure as they sound muffled but their tone is very panicked.

Just then the door swings open. I take it I do not look my best as they freeze in the door frame to take in the scene in front of them, to some extent I feel embarrassed just lying here. Whoever it is runs to my side and drops to their knees. Nick. Yes I'm pretty sure it's Nick. It's always Nick.

He's saying things to me in his Texan brawl, what exactly I am not sure. Is it weird that I find his accent soothing? He then runs from the room. I try to move my arm to grab him and stop him from leaving because I really don't want to be alone, but he returns only seconds later.

He begins whispering to me again, kneeling down behind me and placing my head on his lap. He strokes my hair comfortingly and I give a weak smile, it's all I can manage. It's funny because where it in any other situation I would have killed Nick for messing with my precious hair, but I guess the blood has done that already. It makes me feel content, relaxed, maybe too relaxed.

Moments later my mind goes blank, my vision lost and I fall into the black abyss of unconsciousness.

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_**Nick's POV… **_

Bored.

That is all that's running through my mind as I take what must have been my thousandth photograph. I am in the kitchen of a rich old man's house were a massacre seems to have taken place. The old man lays slumped against the wall and his wife lies dead on the table. There is blood everywhere and I have to make sure I photograph every last single droplet. Great.

As you can tell I lost the game of rock, paper, scissors to Greg and ended up with the massive blood bath all by myself while he got to go upstairs and search for a potential murder weapon. I find this rather unjust. I will have my revenge later by making him listen to my country music on the way back to the lab, or maybe I will infiltrate his secret coffee stash.

I suddenly hear a soft thud come from upstairs. I look up at the ceiling as if I have X-ray vision and would be able to see what was going on, I of course don't but that would be totally cool if I could. I think nothing of it, probably Greg just being clumsy. Don't get me wrong he means a lot to me, he's my best friend, but he is fairly new to this and seems to forget that when we are at a crime scene he is my responsibility and how he works is reflected on me.

I finally finish photographing after what feels like a lifetime and head back into the living room and am just about to go outside to talk to Captain Brass when I hear something that sends a sickening chill down my spine.

"Somebody please help me!"

I automatically know it's Greg. He sounds anguished and in a lot of pain. A mixture of panic and fear consumes me as I begin to run up the spiral staircase.

"Greg!" I call but the silence that follows only makes my fear grow further. "Greg!" I try again, on the landing now not knowing which way to go in this labyrinth of a house.

I see that of all the doors only one is slightly open so I think this is my best bet and push it open not really knowing what to expect, but I was definitely not expecting this.

Greg lays worryingly still in the middle of the floor. His limbs are at odd angles and he is ghost pale. There is blood running down the side of his face, coming from a big hole in the side of his head. It was obviously caused by the crow bar that had been left behind on the bed. His eyes look like he is fighting to stay conscious as they are half closed; I wonder if he has even noticed my presence? The initial shock passes and determination to help my younger friend takes over as I run over to him and drop to his side.

"You're going to ok" I say, trying to sound calm but it is difficult to see my friend like this, in so much agony. "You're going to be ok" I repeat, maybe the more I say it the more we'll both believe it. "I won't let anything else happen to you I swear." My voice is shaking now as I try to hold back my emotion. Guy's my age don't cry do they? Well this must be the exception because I feel I might. "I'm going for help. I'll be right back I promise" I say, jumping up and running back down the stairs.

"Jim!" I call as I reach the front garden; he looks at me puzzled by my dramatic appearance. "Call an ambulance Greg's really hurt!" I do not wait for his reaction as I have already returned to the house and am once again running up the stairs.

I return to the room to see Greg's position has not changed at all but he appears to be getting weaker by the second. "Helps on the way" I tell him. I kneel down behind him and place his head gently in my lap hoping to comfort him. "You're going to be ok Greggo" maybe the use of his nickname will help the comfort.

I begin to stroke his hair attentively and notice him giving me a crooked smile, which I return. He seems to be calming a little, my methods are working.

Moments later and I think my heart has stopped…as well as Greg's. I feel him go completely limp now and his eyes are completely closed, but he still wears his small smile so he appears peaceful despite the blood. I check his pulse and am so relieved to find it still there, but only just. This does not ease my fear anymore and I just want Greg to wake up more than anything.

A few minutes later there are people surrounding us. Brass is here along with two medics, one is lent over Greg tending to his wound, and the other is saying something to me and trying to pull me away.

"No" I say firmly, I have not stopped stroking Greg's hair as it is the only thing keeping me from losing it right now. "No I don't want to leave him."

The medic looks at Brass for help and he puts a hand on my shoulder and tells me that I need to move or they won't be able to help Greg. Personally looking at Greg's faint smile I think I am helping him just by being near him, but there you go. I allow myself to be led away and once again I feel like crying, but there is no way I am doing so in front of Brass.

The medics are putting Greg onto a stretcher and taking him down to the ambulance. I am going with him whether anyone likes it or not so I follow the medics down to the ambulance and sit by Greg's side. I slip my hand into his, whether he can feel it or not, I don't know but the principal is still there. I cannot take my eyes away from the hole in the side of his head, the medics have cleaned up as much blood as they can but the sight of it still disgusts me. It shouldn't be there, Greg shouldn't be like this and if I had won that game of rock, paper, scissors I would have been like this instead of him. I wish I had won.

The journey to the hospital is a nerve wracking one and when we finally get there Greg is taken into a room to get checked over and I am left waiting outside. I sit resting my elbows on my knees bobbing my legs up and down, my head in my hands.

"Please wake up Greggo" I mutter to myself, I cannot bear to lose him.


	2. Chapter 2: Just A Blur

**A/N: wow thanks for the great response already! This chapter Greg wakes up and both he and Nick are in for a bit of a shock…**

**Please Review :D xx**

**Chapter 2: Just A Blur**

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_**Nick's POV…**_

"Nicky!" a female voice calls my name. I look up and see Catherine running towards me, of course, she only ever calls me Nicky now whenever she's mad at me or worried. Brass must have called her.

I stand up and she flings her arms around my neck in a tight embrace and I put my arms around her back. I should have known that of all the team Catherine would be the one to come, don't get me wrong the whole team would be here if they could, they all care, but crime doesn't seem to be able to stop for one day. Catherine is very motherly towards Greg and could quite possibly worry the most after me of course, but Greg by far is the youngest of the group so we all feel some kind of need to protect him.

Catherine and I sit down and she links arms with mine and uses her free hand to rub my back gently. "What happened?" she asks me quietly I can tell she is trying hard to keep it together by the quivering in her voice.

"I don't know exactly but he was hit with a crowbar" I reply honestly "I was downstairs".

And that's when I want to bang my head repeatedly against the wall as I realise that the thud I heard earlier must have been Greg being attacked and I didn't go and see if he was ok. I could have helped and maybe he wouldn't have ended up so bad. This is my fault.

We sit in silence for a while clinging to each other and waiting for news, every second we wait I feel more and more scared. Finally a doctor comes out of the room where they took Greg and both Catherine and I stand up simultaneously and look at the doctor in anticipation, we have not let go of each other, if anything we are now holding on tighter.

"We stitched up the wound and we're now waiting for the results to see if he has any unusual brain activity, but there are no clear signs of haemorrhaging at the moment. We've sedated him to deal with the pain so he's asleep now. You can go sit with him" the doctor tells us.

I weigh this information out in my head and decide that it is more positive than negative, so I relieve slightly. Catherine looks at me with a faint smile and begins to pull me inside the room.

I don't like seeing Greg like this, lying in a hospital bed. I have done it twice before, once after the lab explosion and once after he was badly beaten up several months ago. I only just handled it both those times and I think this third time has tipped me over the edge because I just want to leave. I don't of course, as I keep saying he is my best friend and I would never forgive myself for leaving him like this. I think back to when I had woken up in hospital after being buried alive and Greg was there sleeping in the chair beside me, the nurse said he had refused to leave.

Catherine moves away from me and goes over to Greg instead whilst I still stand in the doorway. She begins to stroke Greg's hair attentively just like I did before. She is whispering things into his ear; I stay back as I know she is having a moment with him. She then plants a kiss on his forehead and walks back over to me.

"I have to go now I know he's alright; Sara can't handle that hit and run all by herself. Call if _anything_ changes, I assume you're staying with him."

"Yes of course I am and I will" I reply giving her a reassuring smile. She hugs me one last time before leaving the room.

I sit down beside Greg and watch him sleep. I hope that the anaesthetic is working and he is no longer in pain, it looks like it is. After a while it becomes apparent to me that he is not going to wake up any time soon so I let my guard down and fall asleep myself.

I don't know how many hours later it is but I start to come round. It is now dark in the room and it's only lit by the lines of moonlight sneaking in through the blinds. I stretch and rub my eyes groggily. And that's when I realise Greg is sat up in bed looking at me.

"Greg!" I exclaim and jump up and give him a hug without even a second thought. I have never felt such a rush of happiness and relief. He hugs me back but something feels awkward about it. I pull back and smile at him, he does not smile back.

He looks confused.

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_**Greg's POV… **_

I swear I am hearing and feeling things in my subconscious.

I am being moved, rocking about slightly from side to side. I feel something warm in one of my hands, but it is shivering a little. I want to hold it back to try and calm it down but for some reason find I am unable to move. Then the warm thing leaves me and for some strange reason I want it to come back, it soothed me.

Time goes by and then I hear the sweet melodic tones of a female whispering into my ear. I do not recognise the voice. I think she is telling me I scared her, that makes me feel bad, and that I need to get better, that makes me feel determined. I then feel something soft on my forehead; it gives me a rush of warmth up and down my body. However I am not strong enough yet to react. I then sense that she has left and someone else has taken her place by my side. However then the darkness totally consumes me as I fall into a deep slumber.

My eyes snap open. What happened? I moan a little as I feel like I have been hit by a train, maybe I have, I don't remember. Where am I? Is my next question. I scan my surroundings. It must be the middle of the night as the room is very dark but I am laying facing the window so I can see the moon light hovering over me. From what I can gather everything in the room is pristine white and clean, for a moment I wonder if I died but realise how stupid this is as I can feel myself breathing. I am hooked up to a machine with a line that is going up and down, up and down in rhythm with my breathes, I think it's monitoring my heart rate.

And then comes the next question on my mind. The most important one I want to know the answer to.

Who am I?

My name. I don't even remember my name. Where I live, how old I am, what my job is…if I even have one. I'm even struggling to remember what I look like.

I go through the alphabet in my mind trying to think. J? No I don't think I'm a J but I'm close…G? Yeah that sounds right. G…Gr….Greg! My name is Greg…I think, possibly short for…Gregory? As for my last name I don't even know where to start. I spot a medical form on the table next to me and pick it up; according to it I am G. Sanders. Sanders? That's my last name? I would never have guessed that in a million years.

It also says I suffered trauma to my head, so I guess I am in hospital. I put a hand on the area that is wounded and feel it has been bandaged and there is a lump forming, it hurts to touch. They are apparently also waiting on some results to see if I have any brain damage, which is where I guess my memory loss comes into it.

I finally feel I have enough energy to get up so I prop my pillow up against the back of the bed and pull myself up too. It is then that I become aware another presence in the room.

I look at him my head tilted slightly to one side. He is really muscular with broad shoulders and biceps. He has short black hair and a firm looking jaw. He is sleeping soundly one minute and the next is stretching and rubbing his eyes as he begins to come back to his senses. He looks at me in the same puzzled way I must be looking at him and then a broad smile appears on his face.

"Greg!" he says happily, at least this confirms my name.

He jumps up and hugs me tightly. At first I am not sure how to react but I gather he really cares about me as he's stayed with me and is really pleased to see I am awake, so I hug him back. Maybe we are brothers? No I don't think we look alike….from what I remember I look like anyway.

He pulls away from me and smiles, I don't smile back because I am too busy searching his face for a glimmer of recognition which I am desperate to find, I must be looking at him confused.

"Are you ok?" he asks unsurely "do you need me to get you a doctor?" he says in a strange accent, it's almost funny, yet it sooths me at the same time.

I shake my head "I'm sorry…" I say quietly, feeling embarrassed. Wow do I really talk like that? I kind of like my accent too.

"Greg you didn't do anything wrong, you're the victim here" he said confused "So what are you sorry for?"

God I hate myself for telling him this. He obviously really cares about me.

"I don't know who you are"

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_**Nick's POV…**_

…What…

There's something wrong with my hearing. There has to be. I must be looking at Greg in utter shock as he is staring back at me looking quite nervous.

"Come again?" I choke, my throat has gone dry as I try to take it in, but I refuse to take it in. This can't be true.

"I'm sorry sir but I just don't remember you" Greg says shaking his head slightly "I barely even remember myself" he confesses and then looks away awkwardly and starts twiddling with his fingers.

"Sir?" I say with a slight laugh trying to hide my fear "Since when did you call me sir? It's Nick" he just looks at me in a complete blankness and shakes his head again. "Nick? Nick Stokes? We work together…we're best friends…" My face falls as the sudden realisation creeps up on me and I think I'm going to cry again. Stupid emotions.

"Nick…" Greg repeats and creases his eyebrows together as if in deep thought "No I'm sorry. I don't even remember what my job is…but I'm sure we are friends. You seem to care about me a lot" he says this in great seriousness. I don't like serious Greg. He scares me.

"Please…" I whisper to him "please just tell me this is one of your stupid jokes because it's really not funny…"

"I wish I could…" Greg replies looking me in the eyes now, I can tell he is desperately trying to remember me "…but it's not"

And I just sit in a stunned silence.


	3. Chapter 3: Goodbye and Hello

**A/N: Thanks for reviewing! This chapter Greg and Nick have to come to terms with Greg's condition as he tries to find himself again.  
I don't know if the surgery mentioned in this chapter is even possible but let's say it is for the sake of the story :P**

**Please review :D xx**

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**Chapter 3: Goodbye and Hello **

_**Nick's POV…**_

Gone. His memory of me, of himself even, it's all gone. He must be feeling a thousand times more scared and confused than I do, but I still can't take it all in. How is he going to cope? I will stand by him the whole way that I am certain of; I won't let him go through this alone. I will do everything in my power to help him remember everything.

Just then a doctor entering the room interrupts my thoughts. Greg and I both snap our heads round to look at him; he looks back a solemn expression on his face.

This can't be good.

"Mr Sanders…" the doctor starts, he sounds like he is about to say something he is going to regret "We got your test results back and they show severe damage to the cerebral cortex in your brain, which I'm sure you've realised by now has resulted in you loosing most of your memory."

Greg looks totally crushed, like the weight of his world has come crashing down on his shoulders, like he'll never be happy again. I see the tears begin to well in his eyes. I am unsure of whether to comfort him or not considering as far as he knows we only met five minutes ago. However I am still sat on the bed with him and he grips onto my arm tightly. I place my hand on his.

"Is there anything you can do?" I ask the doctor, I need him to say yes.

"There is…but it's a_ very _complicated form of brain surgery that only a few people have tried, you'd be on a waiting list for a few months until we could find an appropriate surgeon. "

"Why has it only been done to a few people?" Greg asks quietly.

"Because it's very risky and can easily go wrong" the doctor explained.

"And what happens…if it goes wrong?" I dared myself to ask, I assumed Greg wasn't going to as his grip on my arm only tightens.

"Well Greg could lose the ability to talk, lose his vision, lose his memory all together. That's if he wakes up…he could become comatose or even…"

"Die" Greg finishes.

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_**Greg's POV… **_

The doctor just nods at me.

I am glad I have Nick with me now because he is acting as my comforter as he lets me keep holding on to his arm, I am in deep shock. _Brain damaged. I am brain damaged._ I have the option to have surgery that will either give my life back or potentially lose it. I don't know what to do.

"Ok. I want you to get some rest tonight and then you're free to go tomorrow. I'll make an appointment for you to come and see me in two weeks to tell me your decision about the surgery. For now I'm going to prescribe you some pills because it's very likely you'll suffer from dizziness and headaches. You may even pass out but it would only be for a few minutes, so if that happens try and lay comfortably and then take some pills when you wake up. t is _very _important that you don't move your head around violently or become to stressed or it could make the damage worse."

I can do nothing but nod along as he tells me this. The doctor then leaves the room and I am left alone once again with Nick, he is looking at me concernedly and I am starting to feel really guilty about not being able to recognise him. I smile at him to show that I appreciate him being here and he smiles back, he seems a really nice guy so I'm sure we are good friends.

"I'm going to help you through this" Nick tells me rubbing my hand "I'll re-teach you your whole life if I have to"

"Thank you" I smile at him again "can we start as soon as possible? I just want my life back…"

"How about right now?" he says.

Nick takes hold of my arm and pulls me up out of the hospital bed and towards to wall which has a mirror on it. He places me in the centre of the mirror and then takes a step to the side so that I can only see my own reflection.

"Greg Sanders meet Greg Sanders" Nick says and then goes quiet so I can observe myself.

My skin is not too pale, I have a normal looking nose, thin lips and big brown eyes; I think they are my favourite feature. I then come to my ears, I pull at them and try to get them to flatten down on the side of my head but they just keep sticking out, I think they are my least favourite feature. I then begin to run my fingers through my hair. It's a sandy colour, fairly short. Nick begins to snigger at me.

"What's so funny?" I ask puzzled.

"You were _always _obsessed with your hair. You'd change it like every few weeks" he explains. I smile too; I can't imagine myself ever being like that.

I have a slender frame not muscular like Nicks and I'd say I was…maybe 6ft tall? So I am quite pleased with my physical stature. Overall then I guess I'm not the best looking but I'm not the worst either.

But still this appearance doesn't feel like it belongs to me. I don't recognise the stranger staring back at me, even though I know it_ is_ me. I reach out and put a hand on the mirror and the person in the mirror does the same so our hands touch.

"It's nice to meet you" I say and smile, he smiles back. God now I'm talking to myself, I really am going crazy.

"Ok so what basics do you want to know?" Nick asks as we walk back over to the bed and sit down.

"How old am I?"

"Thirty two" he tells me with a bit of a crooked smile.

I roll my eyes "God you could have told me twenty seven"

"Sorry" Nick said holding his hands up "but if it makes you feel better you get my age if you add eight years onto yours"

"Ok old man…" I said teasingly "what's our job then if we work together?"

"We're CSI's. We collect evidence and solve crimes like robbery and murder"

"Really?" I say with a bit of surprise "why the heck would I want to look at dead bodies for a living?"

"I don't know to be honest. You used to work in the DNA lab but you said it was boring and you wanted to get out onto the field and help more people. You were always a…"

"CSI wannabe" I interrupt with a whisper. Nick looks at me in shock. That one small memory hits me like a tidal wave "you used to say I was a CSI wannabe"

"Well I kinda hoped your first memory of me would be a better one but yeah I did" Nick says sort of embarrassed.

"I don't care I remembered something!" I smiled "ok what else…do I have a middle name?"

"Hojem….yeah I think that's how you pronounced it" Nick replies.

"Hojem?" I repeat "boy that's weird my parents must hate me"

Nick just laughs at me "No it's Norwegian, oh yeah your half Norwegian by the way, on your mom's side."

"Really? That's so awesome!" I grin; it's cool to know I have exotic blood, even if right now I don't know where that country is. "Could I speak Norwegian?"

"Yeah a little bit. You say your Papa Olaf taught you. Boy you loved him; you were always telling us crazy stories about him."

"So I guess I should tell my parents then" I say with a sigh. How depressing is that? Not knowing anything about my own family.

"I don't think so…you see whenever something bad happens to you, you always beg us to not tell your mom because she's way to over protective of you. As for your dad, you don't really talk about him"

"Yeah ok fair enough" to be honest I am glad he says this because I don't think I am up to facing my family just yet.

"Any way that's enough excitement for one night my young friend. Get some sleep and then I'll start full on training tomorrow" Nick instructs me.

"But I'm not tired" I joke like a stroppy three year old; I am far too eager to learn more about my life.

Nick laughs and raises his eyebrows at me. "At least your sense of humour is still there" he beams.

"Oh so I was funny? That's a good thing right?"

"Funny in the head for sure" Nick laughs.

"What, I couldn't have done anything _that_ crazy" I say with a roll of my eyes, but I secretly hope he has a good story to tell me.

"Oh yeah? Well this one time Catherine, a woman we work with, caught you dancing around your lab in a burlesque dancer's headdress" he laughs at the thought.

"No way!" I say laughing but still in disbelief "I can't believe I'd do something like that. That's sounds so embarrassing!"

"Nah you don't embarrass easy, although when Grissom saw you, you took it off pretty quick…he's our supervisor. Any way bed. Now" Nick says with a wink and then sits down in the chair beside me again.

"Oh Nick…you don't have to stay, you've already done a lot for me" I say sincerely, I am obviously very lucky to have someone like Nick for a friend and am very much looking forward to getting to know him again.

"No, no my mind would be more at rest if I stayed." He insists.

"Ok. Thank you "I say before climbing back under the covers and getting myself comfortable on the pillow.

Nick is asleep within a few minutes but my mind does not seem to be able to switch itself off. I don't know what I'm feeling right now, it's a complete mixture like some messed up cocktail…cocktails, I must re-introduce myself to those…any way back to the point. I feel pleased because I have Nick by my side and even though I think I've known him for less than an hour he knows me well and cares for me. I feel happy also that I had that little flashback about the 'CSI wannabe' it shows I am making progress already and I am happy with knowing more about myself too.

But then I'm sad. I didn't even recognise my best friend and I wouldn't even know my family if they looked me in the face. I want the old me back, he sounds like a good guy, but I don't know how to be that guy anymore and would Nick and my other friends resent me because of that? And then I feel scared. Because what if I get hurt again? I don't know how I will be able to cope in the outside world anymore. I don't even know where my outside world is! I forgot to ask where I live. I'm also scared about the operation; I'm weighing it up in my head like do I, don't I, is it worth the risk?

But ultimately….I guess I want to cry. Because I have apparently had 32 years of my life taken away from me and I don't know if I'll ever get it back.


	4. Chapter 4: Little Steps

**A/N: This Chapter, Greg goes into the unknown and Nick has trouble keeping his secret.**

**Please review :D xx**

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**Chapter 4: Little Steps **

_**Greg's POV…**_

I wake up the next morning to see Nick writing on some forms "release forms" he explains "I just thought considering it would be easier if I filled in your details"

"Ok cool thanks"

I find some clothes at the end of the bed and assume them to be mine, so I take them into the bathroom and get changed. I study my body better, not too shabby, but I have this weird scar on my back, I'll ask about that later.

"Hey man you just need to sign these and we can get out of here" Nick says offering me a pen.

"Erm ok" I put the pen to the paper in my left hand first, but this doesn't feel natural so I switch to my right, yeah that's better. Great I don't know my signature; I guess I'm going to have to make a new one. I scrawl 'G Sanders' down on the piece of paper and find I have really slanted hand writing, I'd be surprised if anyone could read it.

"Ok let's go" Nick says happily and I follow him out the room.

We hand in the forms at the reception and the doctor gives me an appointment card for two weeks' time. This appointment could potentially seal my fate…I hope the next two weeks go by slowly. We are about to step outside when I freeze at the door.

Once I leave this building I lose the safety that I feel as I for the first time go back into the world that took my memories away from me. And for all I know the person who took them from me is still out there. I go into a world that I no longer know. I must have a face of deep worry because Nick is looking back at me just as concerned.

I close my eyes and take a deep breath "Let's go" I say in as much confidence as I can muster.

"Ok. This is Vegas" Nick says as we walk out of the doors.

The first thing that hits me is the heat, I feel like I have walked into an oven. Wow I remember ovens equal hot, I am now working at a preschool level. The next thing is I study the buildings. They are quite big, square and tall, almost intimidating. From what I can gather Vegas is built up on Bars, casinos, clubs, restaurants, hotels and apartment blocks.

"I'll show you the main strip soon, you'll love it!" Nick says excitedly "well you loved it before…" I am intrigued by this and really want to know what the 'strip' is.

We walk a bit further up the street and Nick brings me to a car "Oh god" I moan and burry my head in my hands.

"What's up?" Nick asks bemused.

"I don't…I don't remember how to drive" I mumble quickly embarrassed.

"Oh that's ok we can get you some lessons" Nick says reassuringly "I'll just give you lifts. Besides this here's my ride so there's no way I'd let you drive" he says with an evil grin and I stick my tongue out at him, I'm glad we're getting along well. We get into the car and Nick begins to drive.

"So I called the lab and you've got the rest of the week off work to recover. I told the others to not come round and see you yet because you need to rest, plus this will give me some time to re-teach you stuff about them and the job"

"You didn't tell them I've lost my memory did you? Because if I lose this job I'll never be able to get another one, not in my condition and then I'll have no money…" I say beginning to panic slightly.

"Relax I didn't say anything, but if you do have this operation you'll have to tell them eventually …" Nick says warningly and I sigh because I know he is right.

We drive in silence for a while and then Nick flicks on the…music, playing, thing….the radio! He puts on this music that has lots of twanging guitars and the singers have accents just like his, I instantly take a dislike to this genre.

"What is this it's awful" I say cringing slightly.

"Aww dang, I was hoping I'd get you into it second time round, its country music, you always hated it. Here…" he twizzles the nob and comes to a different station "…this is way more your thing."

This time it's more fast and upbeat with some heavy guitar and drumming, this is much better. I nod my head up and down slightly to the rhythm "this is more like it" I smile.

"Yeah you were always a rock n roll kinda guy. Always saying you could have been a rock star. I think this is My Chemical Romance, but I'm defiantly no expert in this genre"

"Cool I'll look 'em up" I am now feeling slightly better about today, excited to rediscover this exhilarating form of music.

Eventually Nick pulls up outside a very tall building. "This is your apartment block" he says jumping out of the car, I follow suite, mentally making a note of the street name.

We go inside and walk up about five flights of stairs, Nick is very persistent on not taking the elevator, I wonder why? Ha it's good to see I have a curious mind because that sounds like it's important for my job and I am quite eager to get started. The interior of the building seems pretty nice and people we see on the stair case smile and say good morning, so I guess I live in a pretty nice neighbourhood. We come to a stop outside a door with the number 52 on it.

"The key will be in your pocket" Nick said pointing at my jacket. I fumble around a bit and find it hidden at the bottom, I put it in the lock and open the door to my home, which right now I don't remember what it looks like or even my way around it.

And I am not disappointed. The lounge is a good size with all the essentials like a sofa and a TV, I wonder in further, the kitchen is also a good size and everything appears to be silver. But my favourite room is my bedroom, I flop down on my double bed while Nick stands leaning on the door way laughing at me.

"I am such a good decorator" I say with a grin on my face.

"Well as long as you're happy now I have to get to work" Nick says "I'll come back later tonight to make sure you're ok and tell you some more things"

"Ok thanks Nick, ya know for practically being my baby sitter. I'm gunna work really hard to remember everything I promise and I'll make it up to you."

"Alright, it's no problem, I'll see you later and remember to take those pills of you start to feel weird and don't do anything to strenuous" Nick says with a serious look but then he smiles and leaves the apartment.

I suddenly tense a little. I am alone for the first time since I have woken up in a world I no longer know, and this scares me a bit. I remember things like the oven, but not how to use them. There's no way I'm being even more of a burden to Nick so I am going to learn fast to fend for myself. Suddenly I am too scared to leave this room, I think I am afraid of going outside, is that a phobia? What if I get hurt again, what if I hurt someone else because I don't know what I'm doing? I am still not one hundred per cent sure where I am and I don't know who anybody is. What will people think of me now I'm not well…me anymore?

With that I jump off the bed and drag myself to sit in the corner. I pull my knees up into my chest and rest my head on them.

I don't know if I can do this.

* * *

_**Nick's POV…**_

Oh. My. God.

That's what's been running through my mind every five seconds since the severe extent of Greg's injury was revealed. Poor Greg, he must be feeling so lost and I feel I should do more to help. I know he insists that I am doing too much for him and he feels bad because of it, but he is yet to learn how stubborn I can be sometimes. He is my friend and I'm going to help him through this whether he likes it or not. I can't even begin to imagine what it must feel like to not remember anything or anyone, including yourself. Greg must be feeling so scared, I know I would be.

I have absentmindedly driven myself to the lab, now I have to go in and pretend that Greg is absolutely fine when I know that's as far from the truth as it can possibly get. I hate hiding things from the team, especially the girls because they worry, but I agree with Greg and I can't say anything because if Ecklie finds out he will surely have Greg fired.

I enter the break room a few minutes later to find my team sat there as Grissom gives out todays assignments. Everyone looks up at me with a hint of concern, even Grissom. I simply sit down with them and pretend I didn't notice.

"So how's Greg?" Sara asks me as it's clear I don't want to start the conversation.

"I think he's still in a bit of shock but the doctor said he'll be fine as long as he has time to rest. He's just been given some pills in case he gets headaches" I tell them. Note I leave out the parts about brain damage and surgery. Urgh damn my guilty conscience.

"Well I guess that's good news then" Warrick says. He has his arm around Catherine as she still looks shaken up by the whole situation.

"Nick you're going to go with Sara to a house robbery, I don't want you working that massacre anymore Warrick and Catherine will take over there." Grissom tells us seriously.

"What?" I say in shock, doesn't he understand why I have to work that case "but I have to find out who attacked Greg!"

"And Catherine and Warrick will. I just think you'll find it too hard to stay unbiased, so no buts!" he adds as I open my mouth to argue.

"Fine" I say sulkily taking the robbery case file and storming out the room. I hear Sara come running after me down the corridor.

"Nick what's up with you? I can't be that bad to work with" she says trying to lighten the mood.

"No I'm sorry…it's just I'm worried about Greg" I say with a sigh.

"But I thought you said he was going to be ok?" Sara asks suspiciously but still with a layer of worry.

"Well yeah physically…" I think quickly "but mentally…he's gotta be feeling pretty messed up" not the most sensitive way I could have put it but there you go.

"He'll be ok because we're his friends and we'll make sure that he is" Sara says comfortingly and puts her hands on my arms. "I worry about him to, we all do, but he'll be fine, it's Greg he's always fine" she smiles at me but I can see in her eyes that she doesn't fully believe her own words.

I am sooo close to telling her about Greg's brain damage because she deserves to know and I don't think I can do this by myself but I keep my mouth shut because I think it's for the best . I smile back at her and we go and collect our kits.

We crack the case no sweat, this robber was very clumsy and left behind every possible thing we could need to track him down and we have arrested him by the end of my shift. So like I promised I drive over to Greg's apartment along with a few things that I hope to use to jog his memory. I knock on the door but Greg doesn't answer so I let myself in and am incredibly shocked at the sight of Greg.

He lays passed out on the sofa with an empty bottle of wine in his hand.


	5. Chapter 5: Learning Curve

**A/N: Thanks so much for the awesome reviews! This chapter is more of a filler but next chapter will be more exciting as Greg goes back to work.**

**Please Review :D xx**

* * *

**Chapter 5: Learning Curve **

_**Greg's POV…**_

Well this sucks.

I have been sat in the corner of my room for a couple of hours now…I think…yes I can still tell the time don't worry. I realise I can't hide In here forever firstly because it would drive me crazy and secondly I think I'm hungry because I'm starting to feel empty. I haul myself to my feet and slink on over to the kitchen.

I open the fridge and stare absentmindedly into it, how do you make a sandwich again? Never mind I'll just settle for an orange. It's really sweet and juicy in my mouth and kinda makes me feel better. I then get rather thirsty and rummage around in the cupboards until I find a bottle of wine. I unscrew the top and gulp some down straight away, hey I don't remember where I keep the glasses so don't judge. Nor do I remember what wine can do to you.

I keep drinking the wine and when the bottle gets half empty I start to feel light headed and a bit dizzy, I think it has something to do with my injury so I stagger into the living room and find the pills the doctor gave me on the table so I pop a couple into my mouth. I plonk myself down on the sofa and now I am starting to feel depressed as I remember how much my life sucks at the moment so I continue to drink the rest of the wine.

"I think you're my new friend" I say looking at the bottle, I sound a bit more slurred than I intended.

I tip the bottle up so I can get the last dregs out of the bottom and then I start to feel really drowsy. The world spins a little and I slowly start to lean to one side until my head makes contact with a cushion on the sofa. I feel my eyes begin to droop close and my arm hang down over the side of the sofa and then everything goes dark.

"Five more minutes" I moan as someone begins to vigorously shake my shoulders, I don't know how much later it is.

"Greg wake up!" Greg? Oh yeah that's me.

"I didn't do it" I moan again but then I begin to slowly open my eyes and a blurred figure comes into view, they look pretty annoyed.

"Just get up you idiot!" I recognise it to be Nick's tone, he is definitely not impressed.

"Ok I'm up, I'm up" I say annoyed at being disturbed. I pull myself up so I am sat upright and rub my eyes.

"What the hell were you thinking?" Nick exclaims ripping the empty bottle from my hand "you think getting wasted is gunna help get your memory back!"

"I know I'm sorry, it's just I didn't remember what wine could do to me" Nick stills looks at me apprehensively and I feel something eating at me, guilt. "Nick I really am sorry ok, I just had a little slip up, I'm going to take this really seriously I promise" I mean this very sincerely.

"Ok I know you are" Nick says to me his face softening a bit. He then puts a big silver case down on the coffee table in front of me. "So this is your work kit" he explains clicking the latches and opening it up "I thought this might help you remember a bit about the job"

"Oh my gosh this is so awesome" I say rummaging around the bits and pieces. I feel like a kid who's just been given a case full of candy.

There are rubber gloves; I pull on a pair to see what they feel like. Small pots of dust that come in various different colours, they say they are used to locate fingerprints. A torch, a camera and some swabs, and then my ID badge. I pick it up and study it carefully.

"What's all this delta and numbers and stuff?" I ask Nick curiously.

"Oh that's kinda like your code name" he says.

"Ok and it says I'm a level two…is that good?" _Please say it is _I think, I don't want to suck at my job.

"Yeah pretty much, the highest level is three but I think Grissom is really close to moving you up" Nick said with a smile.

"Ok…who's Grissom again? And you mentioned a Catherine… oh I don't even remember who my friends are I'm such a bad person" I say putting my head in my hands.

"Hey it's ok here…" Nick pulls something out of his pocket and shows it to me, it's a photograph. I am in it along with Nick and four other people I don't recognise. "This is our team" he explains "this was taken about two years ago at your thirtieth"

He talks me through each person on the photo and hang on to every detail. Grissom the supervisor who's incredibly intelligent, likes quoting writers and has a weird obsession with bugs. Catherine the pretty strawberry blond, she has a daughter and likes to look out for the team as a motherly figure. Warrick muscular like Nick and likes sports, can have a temper on him if not carful. Sara, boy she's pretty also very, very smart and always gets the job done, and then Nick tells me a bit about himself.

"Ok I think I got all that, but you may have to test me before I go back to work" I say warningly.

"Alright but there's something else we have to do" Nick says putting to photo back in his pocket and standing up. "Come on I'm gunna take you down to the shooting range"

"Shooting range?" I say apprehensively "I thought we were CSI not assassins... they are the ones who kill people right?"

"Well being able to handle a gun is part of the job. I mean it's in case you get jumped at a crime scene…" Nick says but then stops awkwardly as he realised what he was saying to me.

"Well I obviously did didn't I" I say pointing to the bump on my head "so I clearly couldn't handle a gun before." I say now feeling quite depressed again.

"You tried because your gun was on the floor next to you…" Nick says probably in a weak attempt to make me feel better. "It's just we had to always persuade you _so _much to take your gun with you because you said you didn't like it and you didn't want to hurt people"

Well that was a stupid thing for me to say…but at least it shows I was a good person.

"Yeah you were too nice for your own good sometimes" Nick said "but that doesn't mean you have to become Mr tough guy, nah I like you as Mr push over" he says with a bit of an evil grin.

"Eh alright bring it on then" I say jumping up off the sofa and making 'come at me' motions with my hands.

"Nah it's cool I won't embarrass you like that" he says and we both laugh, good it looks like we're getting our friendship bond back on track pretty quickly, Nick's a cool guy. "Come on lets go" he says ushering me out the door.

We arrive at this shooting range about 20 minutes later and all Nick has to do is flash his badge and a man escorts us to a small room for ourselves. At the end of this room are pieces of metal shaped like people and they have targets on them. There is also a table full of guns including some scarily looking big ones, are guns that size really necessary?

"Ok so this is standard issue" Nick says picking up a gun off the table and loading it. It's a fair size; I think I can handle it, piece of cake. "We try not to kill people in case we need to take a statement from them so in that scenario you'd probably aim for leg or arm or even lower chest just to wound them but in other times you have no choice its kill or be killed."

He does a demonstration, wrapping one hand underneath the gun and putting two fingers of his other hand on the trigger and squeezing it tight. I flinch slightly at the bang that follows and a hole is now visible in one of the targets right hips.

"Your turn" he says holding the gun out for me, I take it and something automatically feels wrong but I don't tell Nick this.

I copy Nick's action, wrapping one hand under the gun and putting two fingers on the trigger and I swear I am about to pull it but I freeze up. I don't know why but I imagine the target to have come to life, like it is a real person with a real heartbeat, and I don't think I can pull the trigger. Now I feel stupid for feeling guilty about shooting a piece of metal. Nick must notice me struggling as he comes and stands behind me and positions my arms so I am now pointing the gun right in the middle of targets chest.

"It's ok…" he says reassuringly "just take a deep breath, relax and then pull the trigger" he steps back again so I have some space.

I do as he says I take a deep breath and steady my hands which I notice are shaking slightly. _Oh just do it you coward_ I tell myself and with that I pull the trigger. There is another bang which causes me to startle a bit but as soon as I pulled the trigger I felt this surge of adrenaline rush through my body, and it felt good…and that scares me a little.

"Well done!" Nick says excitedly "you got him right in the heart" I don't really see the good side to this, I just potentially killed someone but I smiled back happily.

"I must be a natural" I say with a shrug.

Nick and I spend the next hour taking shots at the targets and I must say each time I pull the trigger I find it easier to do. I am still not as good an aim as Nick but I guess he has had years more practice. He even hits the target bang on in the middle of the head sometimes with his eyes closed, I have ago too but I'm miles off, oh well you win some you lose some.

It's late by the time Nick drops me off at my place. I offer for him to come in and have a drink, not wine of course, but he says no because he's at work early tomorrow. So we say goodbye and I begin to walk up to my apartment block.

I go to bed that night feeling a lot more optimistic and now that Nick has given me a taster of my job I can't wait to get started and reacquaint myself with all my friends, but what if they notice I'm different? What if my bosses realise something is wrong and I get fired?

Ok good mood ruined.


	6. Chapter 6: Square One

**A/N: Thank you for the reviews! Greg goes back to work and Nick lets him in on a secret. **

**Please Review :D xx**

* * *

**Chapter 6: Square One **

_**Greg's POV…**_

A week later and I am waiting for Nick to come pick me up for work, God I feel nervous. Nick had been coming over every night to tell me as much about the job and as much about the people I work with as possible. I've run over everything in my mind like a million times and have even been tempted to write stuff on my arms in case I forget. _Catherine, Warrick, Sara, Grissom, Catherine, Warrick, Sara, Grissom _I repeat the names over and over again.

I have my case with me and Nick has been showing me how to use stuff like the finger print powder and the camera. He is actually a very good teacher and I feel like I should be paying him. I have thanked him over and over and he keeps insisting it's no big deal but he doesn't realise how much it all means to me, I can see why he is my best friend.

Nick comes to get me and I feel really nervous all of a sudden. I really don't want to screw up it wouldn't be fair on Nick and the others._ Just relax, you're getting too stressed_, I take a couple of the pills as I start to get a headache.

"You ready for this?" Nick says as we pull up at the lab.

"Not at all, let's go" I say in a fake cheeriness and jump out of the car.

We enter the building and I swear I have never been here before. It's very busy and there are hallways spiralling off in all different directions. Nick has told me about the different labs and I mentally name each one as we walk passed, _DNA, Fingerprint, Trace_… I think I'm getting the hang of this. We enter a room with a big table and a group of people are sat there, the same group as in the photo.

"Greg!" the strawberry blond woman says smiling and getting up to greet me.

"Catherine" I say a bit unsurely but Nick gives me a discrete nod of approval. Catherine hugs me and I hug her back hoping she doesn't notice there is anything different about it.

Next in line for a hug is Sara, she's even more attractive in real life than in the photo. I was kinda hoping she would turn out to be my girlfriend but Nick has warned me she's interested in Grissom. Then Warrick comes and claps me on the back and says he's glad to see me and I say the same about him. Grissom just gives me a small smile from the desk and goes back to studying his files, Nick told me Grissom liked to keep his emotions to himself and wasn't a big fan of publicly displaying them so I just smile back politely.

"Ok gang gather round" Grissom says after sorting out the files.

I follow the others over to the table and sit down beside Nick as right now he is the only one I feel comfortable with but I hope to get my friendship back on track with the others soon too.

"Ok Sara, Catherine and I have a hit and run outside the imperial casino. Warrick and Nick an apparent suicide and Greg, breaking and entry" he gets up and hands us all individual files.

I look at Nick sceptically; I don't think I can handle a case by myself yet. "Excuse me Grissom" I say hesitantly "I don't think I feel comfortable enough yet to go to a crime scene alone" this is by far the truth.

"I don't mind swapping with you" Warrick says "you can go with Nick"

"Cool thanks man" I smile, I like Warrick already, I like them all already, they seem a very nice group of people.

"Alright, good luck everyone" Grissom says and we break apart to our different locations.

Nick and I arrive at this very tall hotel about half an hour later and our apparent suicide is on the top floor. I push the button for the elevator but Nick looks at me like I've slapped him in the face and I don't understand what I did wrong. Elevators are the things that take you up right? Or will the doors open and a pack of wolves will jump out and maul us to death.

"Come on you can walk lazy" he says laughing slightly rolling his eyes but I can tell he is hiding something.

"No way! It's on like the millionth floor" I argue and there is a ping as the elevator doors open and I step inside. Nick gives a slight huff and then follows me in too. What is with this guy and elevators?

I'm about to find out.

* * *

_**Nick's POV… **_

I don't like this.

As soon as the doors close I feel the walls closing in on me and I feel like I can't breathe properly. I grip onto the bar behind me tightly as the elevator begins to move. Greg is looking at me with his head slightly tilted to one side like a dog does when it's curious about something, maybe I should throw him a bone. Just then there is an awful judder and the elevator comes to a stop. It's broken down.

"No please, no" I murmur and sink to the floor so I am sat in the corner. I pull my knees up and bury my head in my hands.

"Nick chill" I hear Greg say.

Chill? How could I possibly chill! I'm stuck in an enclosed space with no view of the outside, but I shouldn't get mad at Greg, he's forgotten all about my claustrophobia. I just sit feeling slightly more scared by the second. I look up at Greg and he's looking at me like I'm going insane, maybe I am.

"There must be something we can do" he says kindly as it's obvious I'm upset. He studies the buttons up on the wall. "What if I push this one that says emergency?" he suggests, I nod in approval and he pushes the button.

A woman's voice comes on over some kind of speaker and Greg explains to her the lift is broken. She tells him not to worry and that she will get someone to work on it straight away and that it shouldn't take long. Then Greg sits cross legged on the floor opposite me and goes back to looking at me curiously. I am really close to shouting at him to be honest, but I remind myself it's not his fault and close my eyes trying to stay calm.

"Why are you scared?" Greg suddenly asks me a few minutes later. I open my eyes and look up at him, he looks genuinely concerned.

"I'm not" I mumble, but Greg just raises his eyebrows at me to signal he clearly doesn't believe me.

"Nick I may have lost my memory but I'm not stupid" he says and now I feel a bit bad.

He uses his hands to slide across the floor and pushes himself to come sit next to me. I flinch a bit as I don't like the feeling of not having my own space. Greg must have noticed because he shuffles back away from me slightly.

"Are you just afraid elevators might break down?" he asks suggestively, I remain quiet. "Ok you don't want to talk about it, I just wanted to help…sorry"

Now it seems I'm the one with the bad memory as I'd forgotten how Greg would pester people into telling him what was wrong if they were upset, he couldn't stand to see people sad.

"No I should tell you" I mumble "you were there after all" Greg doesn't say anything as he is waiting patiently for the story, boy I never thought I'd have to explain this ever again "a few years ago a man kidnapped me and he buried me alive" Greg's eyes widen in shock but still he doesn't interrupt beckoning me to continue "I was down there for hours in that small space not being able to see the outside world…I thought I was gunna die…but then obviously you guys saved me or else I wouldn't be sat here right now."

Greg sat in silence to process this; it was making me feel uneasy, was he judging me? Did he think I was being crazy? Even I think I'm being crazy.

"Nick I'm sorry that sounds awful, you should have said something, I'd have never have made you come in here…" Greg said looking really guilty, but then he looked mad probably at himself.

"It's ok I should have told you sooner but as you can imagine it's not one of my favourite conversation starters" I say honestly, I don't want Greg to feel bad.

"Well…if it makes you feel better I think I have the opposite" Greg said quietly, I look at him confused not really following. "I mean right now…I'm scared of being out in wide open spaces alone in case I get hurt again…I assume the guy who attacked me hasn't been caught yet"

I want so badly to say 'yes we caught the scum bag and he's going to pay for it' but unfortunately I can't. I don't want Greg to be scared which is stupid because right now I know he's thinking the same about me. That's the thing about being best friends, I can read Greg like a book and sometimes it's a very interesting read and other times it's like a horror story, this is one of those times. I pat the floor beside me gently and Greg smiles and scoots over to sit next to me.

"We'll be out soon" he says putting a hand gently on my shoulder "It'll be ok. I'll protect you from the elevator monsters" he gives my shoulder a squeeze and I can't help but laugh, it's typical of Greg to try and use humour to lighten the mood.

"Thanks buddy" I say patting his knee, I feel safer already; Greg always had that effect to make people instantly feel better and I smile because I realise he is still Greggo and he would never let himself change for the worst.

Just then the elevator comes back into life and we begin to move up again. I let a huge sigh of relief and Greg grins and jumps to his feet and then helps me up too. The elevator reaches the top floor and we pick up our cases and walk out. I think that we have somehow made a silent agreement not to tell anyone else what was said in there, because the truth is no one else on the team knows I'm claustrophobic. I would only share such information with Greg.

We reach the door of the correct room and Brass is stood in the hall interviewing the maid who found the victim.

"Ah hey guys" he says "nice to see you back on your feet Sanders" Greg smiles politely and we step into the room.

The victim is a male, early 40's, he appears to have shot himself in the head as there is blood next to him on the bed and splattered all over the wall. There is the revolver in his right hand and his eyes have rolled into the back of his head.

I suddenly notice Greg "if you're gunna be sick you gotta get out!" I exclaim.

He has gone a pale shade of green his eyes wide, he suddenly gags, claps his hand over his mouth and runs from the room.

Poor Guy.


	7. Chapter 7: Murder and Mistakes

**A/N: Thank you so much for the awesome reviews I read them and smile :) This chapter Greg works his first crime scene and will he give his secret away? **

**Please Review :D xx**

* * *

**Chapter 7: Murder and Mistakes **

_**Greg's POV… **_

I thought I was going to be sick.

I am stood in the corridor with one hand on the wall and the other over my mouth, my head looking down at the floor and my entire body was shaking. I then take my hands and run them through my hair trying to get my breathing steady again.

What the hell would possess me to want to have a job where I have to look at horrific scenes like that, it absolutely terrified me. The way he was just lying there in a pool of his own blood, eyes empty and soulless, brains splattered up against the wall. How could someone do that to themself? How could someone like me bare to look at someone who'd done that to themself? I notice….I think Nick said his name was Brass, looking at me suspiciously out the corner of my eye.

"You never seen a dead body before?" he says with a slight laugh raising his eyebrows at me. He doesn't know that as far as I'm concerned, I haven't.

"No…I mean of course I have…just felt a bit dizzy… one of the after effects of my head injury" I think up quickly.

"Oh ok sorry" he says giving me a sympathetic smile and then goes back to questioning the maid.

I pound my fist against the wall annoyed with myself. Nick must think I'm such an idiot. Is this the same way I reacted the first time I really saw a dead body? I feel bad for leaving Nick in there to do all the work. Urgh come on your being coward again!

_March in there and do your job!_

But it makes me feel so ill.

_Do it or ill kick your ass!_

How can I kick my own ass?

_Never mind! I'll buy you a pizza later then._

I don't even remember if I like pizza.

_Stop making excuses!_

Fine. Stupid brain.

After I'm done being insane and arguing with myself I take a deep breath and try to stride back into the room with some form of confidence.

Nick is stood over the dead man and taking photographs of him, I keep my eyes on Nick and try not to look at the body. I clear my throat so he knows I have returned and he turns and gives me the same sympathetic look Brass did.

"Sorry for being so blunt" he says "it's just you could have contaminated something"

"It's ok I understand…I didn't vomit by the way…" I say with a triumphant nod of my head and he laughs at me.

"Well good… our dead guy's name is Billy White, forty two, found the ID in his wallet. He's been dead about three hours. This is a through and through so why don't you look over there for the bullet?" he instructs me and I nod eagerly wanting to help.

I go over to the side of the bed open my case and take out the torch. I check under the bed first but there's nothing there. I then start to scour around the edges of the room until I notice an unusual dent in the radiator. I drop down to my knees and find a small silver lump of metal hiding amongst some clumps of dust.

"I got it!" I tell Nick happily "so I photograph it first and then bag it right?"

"Right" he says like a teacher giving a student praise.

I put my camera together and take a couple of snaps and then I got to pick up the bullet.

"No, no, no" Nick says shaking his head at me "gloves" he points to them still in my case.

"Oh of course, sorry" I say sheepishly pulling them on and mentally kicking myself for forgetting something so basic, I'm going to have to do a lot better.

I put the bullet in the bag and fill in the details. I then decide to bring myself to go study the body, at this point Nick has gone out to talk to Brass and see what the maid had to say. Something strikes me as odd about the body.

"Where's the note?" I say as I hear Nick walking back into the room behind me, I turn to face him "you told me in suicide cases they often leave a note?"

"I know I found that strange…" he says with a face that looks like he's in deep thought. "I couldn't find one anywhere."

"but there must be one….look" I say taking hold of the victims left hand "there's pen on his fingers and the inks still fairly fresh suggesting he wrote something recently… plus the inks on his left hand suggesting he's left handed right? Yet he appears to have held the revolver in his right hand when he shot himself"

"Oh my god your right, I can't believe I missed that, great job Greg" Nick says clapping me on the back.

"It's what I do" I say with a shrug but I can't help but smile about redeeming myself form my earlier mishaps. I'm glad to see I am good at my job after all and for the first time since waking up in the hospital I feel a sense of purpose "But if that's the case…then where is the note?"

"Did you check the bathroom yet?" Nick suggests. I can tell he is letting me follow the lead as I'm getting quite excited.

I open the door to the bathroom "Nick!" I exclaim and he comes running to the door way and I point to the piece of paper with words scribbled on it that has been stuck onto the mirror "and so the plot thickens" I say with a mysterious edge and I take a photo of the note.

I then take the note off the mirror which has been stuck on with see through tape and hand it to Nick to take a look at. I pull the tape off gently with some tweezers and study it carefully "no fingerprints by the looks which is weird because that would suggest whoever stuck it on the mirror was wearing gloves, which or DB is not." Nick nods at me approvingly "what does the note say?" I ask.

"To my dearest love, I know you won't really understand why I had to do this but trust me it was for the best. Forever you, Billy." Nick ponders this for amount "so our victim had a partner" he states.

"Sounds like It" I confirm "can I take a look?"

Nick hands me the paper and as I read over it but again something strikes me as odd as I look over the scrawled writing, it looks like Billy wrote it in a hurry, who would be in a hurry to kill themself?, but there's something else.

"Look at the small loop on the end of the M in the word 'me' I say pointing it out to Nick "it's different to the rest of the letters"

"There's a loop on the end of the U in 'you' as well" he says, and that's when the light switch in my mind flickers on.

"Hang on…." I say running form the room and grabbing a pen and paper from my kit, Nick follows me obviously impatient to know what I've noticed.

"Well don't keep me in suspense" he says with a grin.

"Ok so we have these weird little loops on the letters M and U" I say scribbling the letters down on a piece of paper. "There's also one on the R in 'really', the D in 'do' , the E in 'best' and the R in 'forever' after each letter I point out I write it down on the piece of paper while Nick looks inquisitively over my shoulder.

"Greg…" he says as I finish writing down the last letter "you're a genius"

"Well I do try" I say smugly and we look down at the paper because all the letters I've picked out with the loops spell one word. But one word is all we need.

_Murder_

"So Billy left us a subtle hint. This wasn't suicide at all. Someone forced him to write a suicide note, shot him and then made it look he did it to himself" I conclude.

"Very impressive" Nick said approvingly "I have obviously taught you well"

"Obviously" I say with a roll of my eyes "but once I got over the initial shock, I really like this job and I'm glad I don't work at a fast food restaurant or something"

"Good to hear" Nick says sounding genuinely pleased with me and I'm glad I've done his teachings justice "right we best get back to the lab and start getting this stuff processed"

"Sure thing boss" I say eagerly and we gather our things and head for the car.

Once we arrive back at the lab Nick tells me he's going to take the revolver and bullet to Ballistics and that I should take the note and try and find anything else useful on it like finger prints and maybe even take the tape to trace, maybe it's an uncommon brand so we can locate people who bought it recently.

Nick leaves me in the corridor and it suddenly dawns on me I've totally forgotten which one the fingerprinting lab is, I stand swivelling around on my heels not sure which way to go. I must look like a complete idiot because I sure as hell feel like one.

"Greg?" I hear a female voice say from behind me.

"Oh hey Zara" I say cheerily but she gives me a funny look. Wait, what? That's not right! "Sara!" I quickly correcting myself; she's giving me a really suspicious look after my near fatal mistake.

"What are you doing?" she asks not lessening he suspicious glare "I've been watching you pace up and down this same bit of hall for like five minutes looking really confused?"

"Oh I'm just…" I bite my bottom lip, I can't tell her the truth she's already suspecting something's wrong "thinking…yeah pacing really helps me think now"

"Uh, huh" she says and I know she clearly doesn't believe me "I've never seen you do that before...I guess I'll leave you to it then, I've got some fingerprint results to pick up anyway"

Perfect "oh me too…well drop something off I mean, mind if I walk with you?"

"Yeah of course you can, why would I mind?" Sara says shaking her head slightly and laughing.

I just thought it would be polite to ask considering we don't know each other that well, but then of course I remember she does know me well and it's me who doesn't know her. I'm really not good at this whole being subtle thing, or lying for that matter. I'm so embarrassed, I consider putting my head straight through to wall there and then.

We begin to walk and I try and discreetly stay a pace or two behind Sara because I obviously have no idea where I'm going. I think she notices this because she keeps giving me sideways glances but she chooses not to say anything. I'm stupid to think I can get anything passed a CSI.

Eventually we turn off into a room and there is a man sat spinning around in a chair. Sara gives him a rather disapproving look and then goes to pick up her file.

"Working hard huh Hodges?" she says scanning through the file and then walking out the room.

"Can you take a look at this paper for me and see if u can get any fingerprints?" I ask this Hodges guy. Nick had mentioned him saying he could be rather annoying sometimes but he always got the job done.

"What are you talking about I'm just here looking for Mandy?" he says looking at me like I've caused great insult "you know I don't look for fingerprints, I'm the Trace tech?"

"I know, just testing you" I say rolling my eyes like it was obvious but I'm starting to get nervous I'm making too many slip ups "in that case then can you take this tape for me and try to find what brand it is?"

"Sure" he says shrugging his shoulders and I follow him out the room and into a different lab.


	8. Chapter 8: Protect and Serve

**A/N: Thank you for all the amazing reviews! This chapter, Nick's getting a little tetchy and there's even more trouble at a crime scene. **

**Please Review :D xx**

* * *

**Chapter 8: Protect and Serve **

_**Nick's POV…**_

"So your bullet matches the revolver you found at the crime scene" Bobby tells me "I ran the revolver and it's registered to a Mike Parker."

"Well Mike Parker's not our dead guy, I think this helps confirm our murder theory. Does it say where we could find this guy?"

"He owns a hardware store down town, lives in the apartment above." Bobby says handing me the file.

"Awesome, thanks man" and I leave the room to go and find Greg.

I spot him in the Trace lab watching Hodges work on the sticky tape. Greg is stood with his elbows on the table and his head propped in his hands while Hodges keeps giving him irritated glances obviously not liking Greg watching him work.

"Oh good you came to pick up your dog" Hodges says as soon as I enter to room, Greg and I share a frown.

"Excuse me?" I say slightly annoyed by this greeting.

"Well he's just been stood looking at me and I thought you'd come to take him away so he can watch you constantly for a while." Hodges says even more annoyed.

"_He_ has a name" Greg says putting his hands on his hips "and I'm sorry if I was annoying you, you should have just said something and I'd have left"

"You've never apologised to me as long as I've worked here?" Hodges says to Greg giving him a suspicious look "boy how hard did your head get hit?" and Greg's face seems to fall into complete upset at the thought of his ordeal.

"Hodges don't be such an insensitive jerk!" I yell at him angry now, my urge to defend Greg was taking over just like it always did. "It's obvious he doesn't want to talk about that!"

"Alright! Greg I'm sorry" he says but I can tell he doesn't really want to be saying it.

"It's ok" Greg says with a half-smile but then goes back to looking down and Hodges gets back to work.

"Hey Bobby found the guy the gun is registered to" I say walking over to Greg, hoping to cheer him up with a lead in the case. "His name is Mike Parker and he owns a hardware store here"

"Is his store called either _the tool belt_ or _the handy man_?" Hodges pipes in "because they're the only two hardware stores in Vegas that sell this kind of tape"

"Yeah Parker owns the _tool belt_" I read off the file.

"So I guess we better go pay this guy a visit right?" Greg asks me excited.

"Right" I reply.

"Thank you…" Greg begins but then something seems to have stumped him in his mind.

"Hodges" I quickly finish for him.

"You guys are finishing each other's sentences now?" Hodges says raising his eyebrows at us "you need to hang out less"

"Don't be such a downer Hodges" I say rolling my eyes at him and then I take hold of Greg's sleeve "Come on Greg. If we stay any longer we'll be sucked into the vortex of despair" and I drag him out of the room but he doesn't protest.

We pull up at the store about half an hour later. I take it business isn't good at the moment because it's in a rather dodgy part of the neighbourhood and there doesn't seem to be anyone around. There's graffiti all over the walls and the windows of the store have bars on them but the sign on the door says it's open. The sign above the door reads _the to l b lt _because some of the letters have fallen off. Ironic huh, how a store that sells hardware can look such a mess.

An old drunk guy suddenly appears from around the corner staggering over to Greg and asking him if he has any spare change. Greg just gives a frightened look and says no but the guy doesn't leave and moves closer towards him so I put a protective arm around Greg and tell the dead beat to get lost with my trademark evil glare and he leaves mumbling something about me being a 'stupid cowboy', and I have the right mind to go after him. What can I say? I grew up in Texas; learning to be tough and sticking up for yourself is like compulsory there. But I do hate it when people call me cowboy….

I look up and see a man peeking from behind the curtains of the upstairs window watching me and Greg. He notices I've spotted him and quickly darts out of view. I think Greg must have seen him too because he's giving me an apprehensive look. I decide I best take the lead and start to walk to the door Greg sticking close behind me.

I open the door and a bell rings. It's dark inside with only a few light bulbs above the counter flickering. The store is cram packed with everything you could possibly need to do some handy work. Greg and I look around and I find some rolls of the tape we found at the crime scene. We here the floorboards behind us creek and turn to find a stout rugged looking man in his early fifties entering the room, the same guy who was looking at us from upstairs.

"Mr Parker?" I ask and the man nods.

"I hope Wayne didn't give you too much trouble" He says, I can tell he comes from Dallas just like me "he's normally comes by wasted at this time"

"We handled it" I tell him and walk closer towards him.

"Well _you _did" I hear Greg mumble from behind me, obviously feeling bad for not sticking up for himself and I give him a small smile to show him it was alright before turning back to the older man.

"I'm Nick Stokes and this is Greg Sanders we're from the crime lab"

"Are you guys here about the graffiti?" Parker asks leaning on the counter top "I've been asking the cops to try and catch those vandals for weeks now"

"No we're here for a different reason but your complaint will be noted. We're here about the death of Billy White?"

Parker just shrugs "Can't say I'm surprised, he'd been having big money problems recently, been threatening to kill himself but no one took him seriously"

"Actually Mr Parker we believe Billy was murdered, with a gun that was registered to you. So we have a warrant to take a look around your store and your apartment." Parker's right eye twitch's in annoyance.

"Fine go ahead" he sighs "if it will rule me out as a suspect then why not"

"Greg can you go take a look upstairs whilst I ask Mr Parker a few questions?"

Greg looks at me uncertainly obviously worried about being by himself in a strange place. To be honest I don't want us to split up either, I mean look what happened the last time we did, but we would get the job done a lot quicker and be able to get out of this dump.

"Go on you'll be fine" I say giving Greg a reassuring smile, he nods and heads round the back of the counter and through the door.

"I can tell you're a man who likes to take charge. That kid slow or something?" Parker asks me with a cooked grin.

"No he is not _slow_" I snap defensively "He's just very quiet…"

Ha Greg, quiet. I would never have even thought of saying that a few weeks ago… I think of all the times I told him to stop rambling on but now I would give anything to have the old talkative Greg back.

"So what is it you want to know?" Parker asks me folding his arms.

"Well first off how did you know Billy White?" I say folding my arms too.

"Once a week me and a group of guys get together to play poker, Billy was one of them. He was a big gambler so it was no wonder he was having money problems he kept losing it all, couldn't play poker to save his life, but he was determined to win"

"Did Billy have a partner?"

"He had a wife, but she left him about a week ago after she found out he'd lost all their money."

"And how exactly did your gun end up in Billy's possession?"

"I don't know how he got it but I noticed it had been stolen from my safe yesterday morning"

"And you didn't call it in?"

"No, like I said I've been complaining about the graffiti for weeks but nobodies done anything, so I figured it wouldn't be any different this time"

"Where were you at around eleven am this morning?"

"I was here opening up"

"Can anyone confirm that?"

"No I haven't had a customer all day" he says rather angrily, I think he may expect me to buy something, maybe some more tape to stick over Hodges mouth.

"Ok well I'm going to take some fingerprints and check your hands for gunshot residue" I explain putting my case on the floor and opening it up.

"Can't believe you're doing this to me" Parker says with a light laugh as I put on some gloves "I thought us Texans had to stick together"

"Yeah well when one of us is a suspect for murder that changes things"

"Oh please you're a cop, don't act like you've never killed anyone" he says rolling his eyes at me.

"I'm not a cop I'm a scientist" I retort but I don't go any further because I don't wish to discuss my 'kill list' with some stranger. "Hands out palms up please" I say approaching him, but I don't even have to do anything because I can clearly see a burn in-between the thumb and finger on his right hand.

"How'd you get that?" I say in a rather monotone because I know I'm going to get some lame ass excuse.

"Cigarette" told ya. If that's a cigarette burn then I'm superman.

I turn to pick something else out of my case when suddenly a strong force hits me round the back off my head, sending me flying forward and my head hits the floor. After trying to get over the initial shock I go for my gun but Parker jumps on my back and pulls it from my holster.

"He owed me money!" he yells as he gets off me but keeps the gun pointed at me. I turn round so I'm lying on my back and groan, rubbing the back of my head in a circular motion. "I gave him a five thousand dollar loan because he was struggling and what does he do? Blows it all in the casinos and shows no intention of paying me back." Parker yells.

"Look sir please just calm down" I say trying to get to my feet.

I'm hoping that Greg has either heard what's going on and called for help or stays out of harm's way long enough for me to get in control of the situation. I don't care what happens to me as long as I keep Greg safe he's already suffered enough. Besides I suppose it's only fair if I get hurt, deserve it even. I didn't help Greg in time when he was attacked so why should he help me?

"No stay down!" he commands. "Call the other one down here"

"No way I won't let you hurt him" I say as a sense of fear begins to consume me.

"Do it or you'll find he gets hurt a lot faster than you thought because I'll go up there and get him myself!" I remain silent trying to think of another way out. "Alright then" he snarls and he starts to walk backwards to leave up the stairs to the apartment where Greg is.

"Greg!" I call loudly; I don't see any other choice "can you come here a sec!"

What happens next is a blur.


	9. Chapter 9: Fairness

**A/N: Wow thank you so much for the awesome reviews! Will Greg be able to help Nick in time? **

**Please Review :D xx**

* * *

**Chapter 9: Fairness **

_**Greg's POV… **_

I take a deep breath before grabbing hold of the bannister and walking cautiously up the stairs to Parker's apartment. When I reach to top I'm not really sure where to start because I'm not really sure what I'm looking for. I have my case in one hand and my other hand I keep on the handle of my gun; I'm not taking any chances this time.

I decide to start in the room where Nick and I saw Parker staring at us because obviously I knew he'd been in there recently. It turned out to be the bedroom and as I walked across the floorboards I could just about hear Nick and Mr Parker's muffled voices talking below me. I put my case down in the middle of the floor but I still keep the hand on my gun.

I begin to walk around the edges of the room absentmindedly. Considering the shop downstairs is a total dump I'm quite surprised by how neat and organised this room looks, which is why I found it weird that there was a picture hung really lopsided on the wall.

I go over and take the picture off the wall and it reveals the door of a safe. I try opening it and luckily it opens. Inside is a case and a stack load of money, I'd say around five thousand dollars. I take the case out and place it on the bed before clicking open the latches. Inside is two guns but there should be three because there is a gap which looks like where a missing revolver should be.

Just then I hear a soft thud come from down stairs and I think it's Parker raising his voice and then I hear Nick give out an anguished groan, he's trouble.

"Control this is CSI Sanders" I begin to radio in immediately "requesting back up at _the tool belt_ hardware store immediately" I put the radio back in my vest pocket and draw my gun, wrapping one hand underneath and putting two fingers on the trigger just like Nick taught me.

I swiftly make my way back onto the landing and then quietly make my way down the stairs and stand up against the wall at the side of the door frame listening in and in some aspects psyching myself up to do this. Not exactly what I wanted to be doing my first day back at work but Nick needs me and recently he's always been there for me and now I owe it to him to do the same.

"Greg!" Nick calls for me sounding a bit shaken up "can you come here a sec!"

Now or never… I walk through the door. "Put the gun down and put your hands behind your head" I command. Parker just turns to look at me and doesn't react. Nick looks rather fearfully at me. "Do it or I shoot"

"So you do have a voice?" Parker mocks "little trigger happy though aren't you?"

"Put. The gun. Down" I will not let this jerk get the better of me.

"I ain't going to jail for killing that ungrateful bastard he deserved it!" He turns his attention back to Nick, who squeezes his eyes tight shut.

"No!" I cry and I forget about my gun as I throw it to the ground, run at Parker and jump on his back.

"Get off me you little..." Parker begins to shout angrily but I manage to push him forward.

Nick has just enough time to get out the way before Parker hits the ground. He drops the gun and Nick kicks it across the floor so it's out of reach. I keep Parker pinned to the floor putting my legs on either side of him but he's not going down without a fight and as you can tell from my slender frame I'm not really that strong it seems.

"Cuffs!" I call to Nick urgently and he runs to his case and throws me a pair of zipper cuffs. I manage to grab hold of Parkers flailing hands and pin them behind his back and that's when the sirens can be heard outside.

Moments later Brass and two other cops come barging through the front door, their guns raised and they seem somewhat startled by sight of me restraining Parker, I take I don't generally do this kind of thing. I jump off him and go to stand beside Nick and we watch Brass and the other cops take Parker away.

"Nice job Sanders" Brass says to me before he leaves "I didn't know you were capable of such things"

"Honestly, neither did I" I say with a sigh. "Are you ok?" I ask Nick once Brass leaves "did he hurt you?"

"Huh?" he replies shaking his head and blinking a few times trying to get focus back "oh yeah I'm fine"

"Nick your rubbing the back of your head" I say hitching my eyebrow up at him and he suddenly stops at the realisation of what he's doing "if you're gunna lie to me at least be subtle about it."

"I know I'm sorry it's where he hit me, just a little sore that's all"

"At least you still remember who you are" I say smiling and giving his shoulder a light nudge but then I realise how spiteful that might sound "Sorry I didn't mean… "

"You've got nothing to apologise for. Your first day back and you've already saved my ass. Thank you" he says this rather solemnly.

"Well you don't sound too happy about it" I say not really getting what was bugging him.

"Doesn't it seem unfair to you?" he says folding his arms "at the first sign of trouble you came running to help me and I'm completely fine. But when the same thing was happening to you I thought nothing of it and you got badly hurt. Best friends look out for each other and I didn't do that so why should you?" He sighs and then looks really upset "you should have just left me… I'd have got what I deserved"

"Nick…" I turn to face him placing my hands on his shoulders and looking him in the eyes "so you made a mistake, big deal, I don't care, you've made up for it now by practically giving me my life back and re teaching me everything I could possibly need to know. I know I've changed and as far as my brain is concerned I've only known you about a week but to me it already feels like a lifetime and I now know why you were my best friend. You still are"

He smiles at me and before I know it he's flung his arms around me in a tight embrace and I do the same.

"Oh jeez sorry" comes a startled tone.

We suddenly tense as its Brass whose walked in on us and pull away from each other embarrassed while Brass stands awkwardly with his hands behind his back.

"I err…I just wanted to check you guys were ok….but I see that you are so…I'm erm going to take Parker down to the station…I'll see you guys back there" Brass says finally and leaves in a bit of a hurry, I take it displaying emotions is not his forte just like Grissoms.

"_Are_ you ok?" Nick asks seriously "I'm sorry I didn't ask"

"Yeah I'm…Aah!" I hiss in pain and put a hand to my head as a sharp pain rushes through it. I hate irony.

"Greg?" Nick, sounding very concerned and putting a hand on my back "what's wrong?"

"Nothing, I just stressed myself out, made to many sudden movements, I need those pills that's all. Aah!" the pain gets worse, I sway slightly and Nick puts his arm round me for support.

"It'll be ok" he says comfortingly but he sounds panicked "where are they? I'll get them for you"

"In my case" I say through gritted teeth "it's in the bedroom upstairs"

Nick nods and dashes up the stairs, I lean against the counter top rubbing my temples and willing for the pain to go away. Nick returns only seconds later, I take the pill bottle from him and pop two in my mouth. I'm telling you these things are a miracle and I can feel the pain lessening already.

"Ok" I say after taking a few minutes to pull myself together "ok let's go back to the lab"

"Are you sure?" Nick says still concerned "I can just take you home…"

"No it's ok I'm fine now" I say giving him a smile but this doesn't alter his look of concern at all.

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_**Nicks POV…**_

I'm finding it really difficult to concentrate on the road as we drive back to the lab. I think those pills must have some kind of sleeping sedative in them because Greg has fallen asleep beside me, his head resting on the window but I keep giving him sideways glances because his face will sometimes screw up in pain and then he'll suddenly fall back into a sense of calm. I'm tempted to take him home but I know that'll just cause argument.

Despite what Greg said to me earlier I still feel like utter crap and I know it's selfish of me to feel so sorry for myself when what Greg's going through is ten times worse. I keep thinking about what he said to me about me still being his best friend and giving him his life back, but I still don't feel like I deserve him as a friend. I know he thinks I've made it up to him but it just doesn't feel that way, like I can still do more.

I pull back up at the lab and Greg is still asleep. How to do this subtly… I beep the horn and he wakes with a start.

"Sorry…" I snigger "couldn't resist"

"You're lucky I didn't hit my head" he says grumpily but then sticks his tongue out at me playfully before getting out the car.

We enter the lab and Greg keeps yawning in exhaustion, I wish he'd go home and rest but if that was ever going to happen I was going to have to carry him out over my shoulder and shut him in the trunk of the car to get him home.

We bump into Warrick and Catherine in the hallway; I've been meaning to talk to them for a while.

"Hey we heard what happened" Warrick says sympathetically.

"Yeah we're glad you're ok" Catherine says smiling at us both "as for you" she says raising an eyebrow at Greg "I thought you wouldn't hurt a fly"

"Well, there was the time he…" Warrick begins and I know he's going to mention Demetrius James so I give him a sharp nudge in the ribs with my elbow to make him stop. I haven't told Greg about that yet…

Greg doesn't really have much of a response other than yawning again and rubbing his eyes sleepily.

"Come on honey you look like you need some coffee" Catherine says cheerily and she takes Greg's hand and drags him off to the break room leaving Warrick and I alone.

"What was that for?" Warrick says rubbing his ribs still.

"Nothing, Sorry... have you and Catherine come any closer to finding the guy who attacked Greg?"

"No sorry man, we've been working that house massacre for a week now and every lead we get just comes to a dead end. We looked over the crowbar they used to hit Greg but not one single print. Whoever attacked him and killed that couple was a professional. At this rate I'm afraid the case might go cold."

I feel like he might of well have punched me in the face. "You can't, you can't let that happen! I won't let this guy get away with this not after what they've done to Greg!"

"Nick don't get yourself so worked up!" Warrick says concernedly "Greg seems fine"

"You don't know the half of it" I mumble with a deep sigh and running my hands through my hair.

"What are you talking about?" he asks looking completely bewildered.

"He's…scared…" I say thinking quickly back to what Greg told me in the elevator "about going outside, about being alone and…." But I stop myself from saying anything else, because I nearly let slip.

"He'll be fine, it's Greg, he always bounces back and he knows we're here for him" he gives me a pat on the back and a weak smile before going down the corridor.

I'm left shaking with what I want to say is rage but truly I think its fear.


	10. Chapter 10: Revelations

**A/N: Thanks so much for the reviews! This chapter Greg asks Nick about his dark past and someone else finds out about his condition. **

**Attention! This story is far from over but I'm asking you guys what kind of ending you want because I'm not really sure. Should it be happy or sad? If sad then how sad? Or should I do a happy and a sad one and post both so you can choose which one you want to read? Let me know! **

**Please Review :D xx**

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**Chapter 10: Revelations **

_**Greg's POV…**_

"Here I'm afraid you'll have to drink this" Catherine says putting a cup down in front of me and then sitting at the opposite side of the table with her own "I don't know where your Hawaiian Blue is, you keep it so well hidden"

I don't even know what that is, but I sure hope it's another form of coffee because I take a sip of the kind Catherine has given me and it tastes awful. I must be pulling a disgruntled face because Catherine laughs at me.

"You look really tired. Like you haven't slept in days" she says becoming concerned all of a sudden "have you had trouble sleeping properly since your accident?"

She's good. It's true I haven't been sleeping recently and that mixed with pain relief meds isn't a good combination. I nod wearily and feel my eyes beginning to close but I pinch my thigh harshly to alert myself.

"Well, honey if you ever need to talk you know I'm here for you" she says lightly putting her hand on mine.

"Thanks Cath" I smile at her and she smiles back.

I really like Catherine and I feel bad for not being able to remember her but she gives off this maternal vibe. Then I realise that she was the woman I heard talking to me when I first began to come round, she'd been there to see me and said she wanted me to get better. I'll hold that with me forever.

Nick suddenly storms into the room a few moments later with his arms folded looking rather angry, he goes and leans on the counter top next to the coffee machine. Catherine's cell rings, she says goodbye and leaves to take the call.

"You ok?" I ask Nick. I'm no longer drinking the coffee but using it more as a device to keep my hands warm.

"Yeah I will be" he sighs "I could really do with a cup of your Hawaiian blue" he says with a crooked smile.

"Well if you want some I keep it in the…oh my god I remember!" I exclaim suddenly feeling more awake as another memory hits me like a tidal wave.

The team they're always bugging me for that coffee saying it's amazing. I run from the room and into the DNA lab hearing Nick coming behind me, there's no one else in here. I go over to the cupboards up on the wall and open them. I have to get on my tip toes and feel around at the back of the top shelf… got it! I pull out a blue cylindrical container.

"I knew it!" I say happily turning to Nick "I kept it up there when I worked in here because even I could barely reach it"

I know it probably seems like nothing to you guys but trust me when most of your memory leaves you any little thing that comes back to you it feels absolutely amazing.

"That's great!" Nick says "except for one thing "he falls into an evil smile "now you're gunna have to hide it again before I steal it all"

"Fine I will" I say grinning back at him smugly and I leave the room felling happier then I've done in a long time.

Like I said this may not seem much to you but it means my memory is making slow progress, but still my decision on whether or not to have the surgery looms.

….

A few days later and I walk into the lab with a bit of a bound in my step. I feel really well rested and I told Nick I would walk to the lab this morning, firstly to prove to myself I knew where it was and secondly to re acquaint myself with Vegas, which turns out to be a beautiful place and I really like it. Mike Parker has been put in prison for murder and it feels great to win my first case, well the first case I remember winning.

Although there has been something bugging me. I've been wondering why when Catherine said about me not hurting people and Warrick was going to say something Nick stopped him. I think Nick thought I wasn't paying attention and I didn't notice but I did and I've been wanting to know what that was all about, I just didn't want to ask Nick at the time because he didn't seem in a very good mood.

"Hey you made it" Nick says as I enter the break room, he doesn't look up from the book he's reading "I thought I might have to send the search dogs out for you"

"Yeah well it turns out I'm not totally incapable" I say sitting down at the table opposite him and absentmindedly begin to drum my fingers on the table top. Nick looks at me irritated over the top of his book and I stop. I can't take it anymore I have to know.

"Nick?"

"Mmm"

"Have I… have I ever killed anyone?"

Nick tenses and looks up from his book "erm…maybe…" he mumbles and then his eyes dart back to the page probably hoping I wouldn't take the conversation any further.

"Nick come on" I whine leaning back in my chair "I want to know. I want you to be honest with me."

He snaps the book shut and looks at me "alright you have…once… it was an accident you didn't mean too"

"Why what did I do?" I feel quite mortified at myself.

"You hit someone with your car. There was this gang going around beating people up and you found them attacking someone and you were trying to make them stop. But then you ended up getting hurt as well."

"What do you mean?"

"Well…they beat you up. Really_, really_ badly. You couldn't even open your eyes for a while. It was scary"

I process this for a moment. Does that really justify why I killed someone? I may not have meant to but I still did. And beat up so badly I couldn't see? Surely I'd remember something as horrific as that.

"I assume you investigated it?" I ask.

"Yes"

"So there's pictures?"

"Greg you're not seriously suggesting…." Nick says looking at me but I just shrug "but why? Why the hell would you want to see yourself like that!"

"Because!" I reply not really having a proper answer yet "…because it was a big event in my life and I want to try and remember _everything_ good and bad. Maybe if I see those photos I'll remember other things as well as the beating"

"Greg I really don't think…." Nick starts hesitantly.

"Pleeease" I beg him clasping my hands together.

"Alright fine I'll dig out the file for you later, but I'm not happy about it and I did warn you" he says sternly.

"Ok, thanks" I smile and then Nick goes back to reading his book while we wait for the rest of the team to join us for the distribution of today's assignments.

Sara and Catherine come first and I think they're gossiping about their latest movie star crushes like two teenage girls, it rather amuses me. Nick quickly snaps his book shut as soon as he sees them and hides it on the floor under the table. Warrick comes and starts to talk to Nick about last night's football game and I feel kinda down because I can't really join in with either conversation as I of course have no idea what anyone is talking about.

"Alright guys…" Grissom announces himself entering the room "Catherine and Warrick we got another massacre, maybe connected to the one we had last week, we could have a serial killer on our hands." He hands them files and Nick and I share a cautious look.

"We're on it" Catherine says scanning the file and she and Warrick leave.

"Sara and Nick you have an arson case" Grissom continues handing them a file "and Greg your with me, breaking and entering" he gives me a file too.

I look anxiously at Nick but he gives me a reassuring smile. I can't work with him all the time and besides this will give me more time to get to know Grissom again as I haven't had chance to talk to him much. Nick and Sara leave and I notice Grissom looking curiously at the floor.

"Greg why don't you go and get your stuff ready…I'll catch up" he says still staring at the floor.

"Oh ok" I say slightly bemused and head off to get my kit.

Five minutes later and I am sat on the bench in the locker room with my kit fully equipped, making sure my gun is properly loaded when Grissom joins me.

"So you've lost your memory huh?"

I give a startled jump, it's a good job the safety is on my gun or I might have shot myself in the foot.

"I….what…" I can't string a sentence together I'm in too much shock. I just look at Grissom completely dumb founded, he's leaning against the door frame his arms folded.

"When you got hit…that made you lose your memory right?"

I shake my head and blink a few times trying to gain focus again "how did you… did Nick say something?"

"No, but I assumed he'd be the only one who knew"

"Well how did you know then?" I ask quietly, getting scared of where this conversation was leading. Was I in trouble for lying? Will I get fired? I didn't want to get Nick in trouble either.

"Well Sara told me you called her 'Zara' and that's not a mistake you'd make if you've worked close with a person for nearly seven years. Then Hodges came complaining to me about how you 'demanded' him to find you some finger prints even though you know that's not his job. And the way you reacted to that body at the hotel? Brass said it was like you'd never seen one before. But then this tipped me off…" he walks forward and hands me a book he'd been holding under his arm, it's the one Nick was reading earlier.

"Study of the brain?" I read the title aloud. I flick through a few pages and it's all about parts of the brain and what they do. I come to a section where the corners of the pages have been folded over. These pages are to do with memory in particular. Nick must have been reading up on my condition.

"Don't get me wrong but that's not exactly the type of thing I'd expect Nick to be interested in unless it was for a good reason" Grissom says sitting down next to me.

I admit at first I feel a flash of anger at Nick for leaving this book lying around for anyone to find but the feeling passes as soon as it came and I find it kind of…sweet I guess that Nick is trying so hard to understand what I'm going through.

"Please don't get me fired" Is the only thing I can blurt out.

"Now why would I do that?" Grissom says raising an eyebrow "you're very important to the team"

I wrinkle my nose "that's not true"

"Of course it is" Grissom replies "I depend on you to keep it real. You're the one who's in with all the current affairs and most of the time you end up teaching me stuff that I don't know"

"But you know everything." I say this as if it's obvious.

"Surprisingly no" he says with a smile. "Along time ago I told you that if you ever needed to talk you could come see me whenever and even though you may not remember it that offer still applies."

I sigh "I just didn't want people to start treating me different if they knew_ I_ was different. I want more than anything just to be _me_. And if you can tell that I'm not being me then the others can too….Why do all my friends have to be geniuses."

"What did the doctors say to you?" Grissom asks.

"I have an appointment tomorrow about a really risky surgery and I still don't know what I'm going to do….you won't tell anyone else will you?"

"Tell them what?" he says with a half-smile. Grissom picks up his case and leaves the room. I laugh lightly and shake my head in disbelief. He's mad yet brilliant.

"Hey wait up!" I call grabbing my own case and running out the room.


	11. Chapter 11: Theories

**A/N: Thank you so much for the reviews! You all seem glad Grissom knows :) This chapter, Nick and Sara discover something shocking about Greg's attack and Hodges is being his usual self ;)**

**Please Review :D xx**

* * *

**Chapter 11: Theories **

_**Nick's POV…**_

How the hell we are going to solve this case I do not know because everything inside this house seems to have just been disintegrated in the fire. Sara and I are walking around the remains with our cameras in our hands getting ready to snap anything that might be of use.

"Nick?" Sara's voice brings me back into reality as for the past five minutes I've just been messing around with the various settings on my camera.

"Yeah?"

"If something was wrong with you or Greg, you'd tell me wouldn't you?"

I'm a bit taken aback by this question "yes, yes of course I would" but I feel guilty because obviously this is a complete and utter lie.

"It's just that…both of you haven't been acting like yourselves recently and it kind of worries me. I mean I know Greg's been through a lot recently and that's probably what it is but I'd just like to think that you know you can tell me anything because we're more than colleagues, we're friends" she says with a light smile. My guilt levels have just fallen off the end of the Richter scale.

_Tell her._

No I promised Greg I wouldn't and besides she'd only worry even more.

_But she's your friend, she just wants to help._

I know but… I just can't ok!

I tap my knuckles on the side of my head to try and get my stupid conscience to leave. Sara gives me a puzzled look.

"I know that" I eventually say to her with a smile and she nods and wonders off into a different room.

I spend the next few minutes at the fire place where there is something melted all over the floor and I'm not sure whether I want to know what it used to be or not.

"Hey I found this under what I think used to be a sofa in the next room" Sara says coming up behind me "there's blood on it"

I turn to find her holding a crowbar…wait a second…no it can't be…

"That's the same crowbar that was used to hit Greg"

"What?" Sara says looking completely dazed.

"I'm telling you if we ran that blood in would come back to Greg, it's all in the same place and we wouldn't find any finger prints either"

"But how is that possible? That crowbars in evidence… unless some who had access to it…oh my god this is awful"

"Whoever hit Greg works at the lab" I confirm solemnly.

* * *

It's been a few hours since Sara and I discovered that whoever attacked Greg was currently somewhere in this building. We were now back at the lab and since the arson case now involved evidence from Greg's attack I was no longer allowed to work it so I am now waitng for Grissom and Greg to get back so I can help out with their breaking and entry case.

Sara had said she'd been to evidence lock up and nobody has signed to take out the crowbar so we'd once again hit a dead end. She'd taken it to DNA again and like I said the blood came back to Greg and once again no fingerprints were found. However this time we found a white sticky substance on the handle of the bar it looked like some kind of cream. Sara had taken it to Trace for Hodges to look at and I am currently on my way there to see if I can persuade him to give me the results, maybe I'll buy him a new star trek figure.

"Hey Hodges" I say smiling at him as I enter his lab, he gives me a funny look "something wrong?" I ask.

"What do you want?" he asks cautiously.

"Why should I need a reason to come talk to my favourite lab tech?" I say putting on my sweetest smile but then he only looks at me even weirder "yeah you're right nobody would ever believe that" I say with a sigh.

"I knew you wouldn't be nice to me unless you had an agenda" he says snobbishly and then goes back to work.

"Hey I can be nice!" I retort "I'm just also very good at being sarcastic"

"Whatever. I assume you're here about the results of the stuff you found on the crowbar? You know I can't give them to you I promised Grissom I wouldn't" he says prudently.

"Oh come on H" I whine "live a little, its ok to break the rules once in a while"

"Well for your information I haven't even got round to processing it yet and even if I had I wouldn't give the results to you!"

"Look…" I begin coming over all serious "I don't expect you to understand why it's so important to me but I really care about Greg and I just want to know that we're getting closer to finding out who hurt him so they can be punished"

Hodges stops working and looks at me sympathetically and I don't understand why.

"Dude what is your kinda creeping me out" I say with a nervous laugh.

"Why can't you just admit it?" he says shaking his head.

"Admit what?" I say still not understanding. Wait he can't seriously be implying I'm the one who hit Greg?

"That you and Greg are…you know…" he says looking awkward.

"No I really don't" I say frowning and shaking my head.

"Together" he says like it's obvious.

I remain speechless for a while "you're kidding right?" I say laughing but Hodges gives me a look that suggests he's serious "What!" I exclaim not sure whether to be amused or angry at this accusation.

"Well you just said you cared about Greg" he says defensively.

"As a friend!" I exclaim "that's what friends do! Is that seriously all you're basing this on?"

"No…you've been acting way more protective of Greg than usual, like when you snapped at me the other day. You two have barely left each other's side over the past couple of days and Greg's been acting just as weird and distant like he's had something on his mind, he's been getting confused really easily…like he's…in love"

"He's just been attacked Hodges. He could have died! What you're explaining is totally rational behaviour for someone who's been in that situation or had their _best friend_ suffer in that situation"

"Ok your right I'm sorry it was just a theory" he says raising his hands defensively. I'm still staring at him in disbelief. "You're sure though right…"

"Yes!" I say loudly then I intended but I just want to get my point across "Greg and I are friends, nothing more, sorry cupid but your arrow was way off on this one"

"Alright I'm sorry I didn't mean to upset you…" Hodges says then he sighs and rolls his eyes "and maybe I can give you those results later when I get them to make up for it"

"Now you're talking sense, thank you" I say shaking my head at him and leaving the lab.

I hate this. Knowing that all of people I'm about to pass in the corridor could be the one who took Greg's memory, took the old Greg away from us. I get paranoid scrutinising everyone's face that I pass thinking to myself _did you do it?_ _Are you capable of doing it? _I've considered telling Greg about the fact one of his colleagues was responsible for his condition but if I was feeling paranoid then I'm sure Greg would be even more inclined to feel that way and he would feel even more scared. I would just have to keep a close eye on him when we were in the lab.

"Yo Stokes!" I here Greg call from behind me and I turn round to see he's smiling; I can't take that away from him.

"Sup Sanders" I smile back at him and he shows me an envelope.

"Crime scene photos from the breaking and entry case." He explains "Grissom wants me to take you through them whilst he takes some stuff we found to DNA"

"Ok cool we'll use the light table" I explain starting to lead the way but Greg walks passed me and goes ahead trying to prove to me he knows where it is I'm not surprised when he does.

"Took your time" he says to me smugly but then goes about laying the photos down on the table. "Grissom knows by the way" he casually drops into the silence "about my memory loss"

"Huh? How?" Jeez all I seem to have being doing all day is stuttering in confusion and disbelief.

"He just figured it out" Greg shrugs casually, it obviously didn't bother him "He's so cool isn't he! He knows everything about bugs and he kept quoting famous writers…I wish I was as smart as him…. he said he wouldn't tell anyone else"

"oh well…alright then" in some aspects I was quite relieved that now I wasn't the only one who could look out for Greg, but on the other hand I kind of liked it being me and Greg against the world, but I knew Grissom wouldn't get too involved as he'd just want to let Greg get on with his life and be happy.

Greg spends the next hour filling me in on everything that he and Grissom had found and they already had some theories. He talks about the evidence they collected and then talks me through the photos whilst I make notes.

"Oh by the way whilst we're swapping photos" I say remembering the envelope I brought in here earlier, the ones about Greg's beating "are you sure you want to see these?"

"I'm sure" he nods and takes the envelope from me putting it in his bag "well it's the end of my shift so I guess I'll leave you to it and see you tomorrow"

"Ok see you later" I reply and he turns to leave but then freezes in the doorway. He looks at me nervous.

"You know it's my appointment tomorrow morning about the surgery?" he says quietly.

Oh my god I forgot with everything else that was going on. I mentally hit my head against the wall in frustration annoyed I'd forgotten.

"Yeah" I reply just as quiet.

"Would you come with me?" Greg asks hopefully.

"Yeah" I say with a small smile "yeah of course I will"

Greg gives a sigh of relief "awesome thanks. Bye" he says with a swift wave.

"Bye" I repeat and go back to studying the scenes photos but it's not long before Hodges replaces Greg in the room.

"The results from the substance found on the crowbar" he says brandishing a file in his hand "came back as _Sudocrem_ which is a brand of cream to help treat eczema so we can assume that whoever was holding the crowbar has that skin condition" he hands me the file.

"Well I don't know anyone off the top of my head that works here and has eczema." I say wracking my brains.

"Well I checked through the data base and there are two workers on there who are registered with bad cases of the condition." He holds two other pieces of paper out in front of my face "Detective Tom Hanson and John Burton a lab tech in Ballistics. I know Burton quiet well twenty two, interested in sci-fi, he's only worked here a few months, came straight from university. As for Detective Hanson I don't know him but it says he's thirty four and worked here about two months"

"Ok… so one of them must have a connection to Greg that made them want to hurt him. Burtons a bit young so I don't know how Greg would really know him, but Hanson and Greg are a similar age so I dunno maybe they used to hang out" I theorize. _The only thing is he won't remember either of them_ I think to myself.

"Well I better take these to Sara" Hodges says taking the files back off me "it's up to her now. Please don't tell anyone I showed you"

"I won't. Thanks Hodges" I say patting him on the back and he smiles and leaves the room.

I let out a deep sigh and put my elbows on the table and bury my head in my hands. We're getting so close now and I'm just so pissed I can't do anything to help, well I can I'll go and support Greg at his appointment tomorrow.

The appointment to seal is fate.


	12. Chapter 12: Fright Night

**A/N: Thank you so much for the reviews, I'm so glad you haven't got bored yet, I can't say thanks enough :)x This chapter Greg is having a really rough night. **

**Please Review :D xx**

* * *

**Chapter 12: Fright Night**

_**Greg's POV…**_

I walk along the streets of Vegas that night, my mind trying to process everything over. I can't get my appointment out of my mind and I still don't know what I'm going to do. Pros: memory back. Cons: death possible. The big question? Is it worth the risk? I decide not to think about it anymore or else I'll just go insane. Instead I shove my hands in my pockets and begin to hum lightly to myself.

It's dark now and only the flickering lights are guiding me down the streets as the moon cannot be seen tonight. I zip up my hoodie and pull my jacket closer to me as the temperature begins to drop and as I come to a cross road I get this horrible sinking feeling. I have no idea where I am. I was too busy freaking out about tomorrow to look where I was going. Fantastic. Not.

There's nobody out on the streets because it's late so I can't ask for directions I just standing spinning around and looking down each possible street but none of them looked familiar. I may have to resort to closing my eyes and spinning around and then wondering off down a street at random. Suddenly I hear a small clink as someone walking to my right kicks a can along the sidewalk.

"Hey!" I call trying to catch their attention so I could ask where I was but they either didn't hear me or are choosing to ignore me "Excuse me!" I call again running after them. They stop and turned to face me, I couldn't make out their features due to the dark "I was wondering if you could…"

"Hey it's you!" the guy replies in a familiar slurred voice "you're the kid who wouldn't give me any money a few days ago" he says rather spitefully.

_That hobo from outside Mike Parker's store_ I remember. "Oh I'm sorry about that; I didn't have my wallet on me. I was wondering if you could tell me which street I'm on."

He raises an eyebrow at me "you got your wallet on you now?" he asks.

"Erm yeah" I reply becoming slightly more nervous I pull my wallet out my jacket pocket.

"Give me twenty bucks and I'll tell you" he says eyeing my wallet up. I open it and his eyes seem to grow even wider in delight. I stopped at the bank earlier and took out a hundred dollars which he can now clearly see in my wallet.

I reach in to take out a twenty but he grabs hold of my wrist "Hey what are you…" I become panicked and he pushes me to the ground ripping my wallet from my hand.

I hit my head on the pavement.

I hiss in pain as the sharp shooting pain returns to my head. The world begins to spin violently and my vision blurs. The last thing I see is the bastard running down the street, my wallet in his hand, and then my vision fails me completely and the world grows dark.

My eyes snap open and I almost immediately start to take ragged breaths in panic. It's still dark so I can't have been out for that long I check my watch, yes it's only been about 20 minutes. I still have a pounding headache, as I sit up right I take the bottle of pills out my jeans pocket and take two. I don't really wait for them to kick in before I jump to my feet and start running down the street, which street I don't care I just have to go.

I keep running as fast as I can my breaths ragged and my head still lightly throbbing. I have a paranoid feeling I'm being followed and every bush I hear bristle in the wind, every cat I hear pitter pattering down the street, I think it's someone coming to get me, to hurt me again.

"No stop it!" I shout growing more and more paranoid "get the hell away from me! Leave me alone!"

I'm suddenly blinded by a bright light, car headlights, I've run into the middle of the road.

The horn beeps to tell me to get out the way but I feel like I've been glued to the spot petrified I just shut my eyes. I hear a screeching noise as the person driving the car pushes hard on the brakes. I squint one eye open and see the car was just inches from hitting me. I hear the driver open the door to come see if I'm alright.

"Greg?" a familiar voice asks shocked.

"Warrick!" I realise I run to him and bury my head in his shoulder without a second thought so relieved so see him. He stands a bit rigid at first in shock but then he puts his arm around me.

"Are you ok? What hell were you thinking I could have killed you!"

"I know I'm sorry it's just I got lost and I started to freak and then this guy took my wallet and I got even more freaked…" my breathing is all screwed up and I'm trembling like a leaf.

"Greg its ok now, just calm down and breathe" Warrick says soothingly and I do as he says taking a deep breath and pulling away from him.

"Sorry" I mumble embarrassed by the state I'm in. My headaches nearly gone as my stress levels begin to lower.

"No its ok. Don't worry I'll make sure we find the guy who took your wallet. Come on I'll give you a ride home and you can give me a description."

"Ok thank you" I say quietly and I get into Warrick's car calmed by the feeling of warmth and safety.

As we drive to my apartment block I try and tell Warrick everything I can remember about the hobo, I think Parker said his name was Wayne. I told him I'd seen Wayne before and that Nick had too so maybe he could help with the description if I'd missed anything out. Warrick pulls up at my apartment block and I jump out the car.

"Thanks again man" I say smiling at him.

"No problem, I'm just glad I didn't kill you" he says with a crooked smile.

"Me too, see you later" he gives me a swift wave and drives off whilst I make my way up to my apartment. I'm glad I have Warrick as a friend.

I open the door to my apartment; take my bag off and sling it down on the sofa before going to the kitchen to raid my fridge which is practically empty. I've lost a bit of weight recently as I haven't really been eating properly at home because I don't remember how to make much. I settle for an apple and then go sit on the sofa pulling the envelope with the pictures in from my bag.

I open the envelope and then hesitate for a while. Maybe Nicks right, maybe I don't want to see this. But then again like I said I want to know everything the good and the bad. I slip my hand inside and pull out the photos.

The first thing that strikes me is the sea of blue and purple bruises that over powered my face as I trace my fingers across the picture. Both my eyes are red and swelled shut and there is a big cut down my lip and various other gashes all over my face covered in blood. But beyond that I look so young and vulnerable even though Nick told me it only happened several months ago.

I flick through some more photos, some from different ankles some of my chest and one shows a rather deep gash running diagonally down my back. That must be where that weird scar I meant to ask about came from. I run my fingers gently over it on my back; I wonder if the team know I have it? It seems like something I'd try and hide.

I take comfort in knowing that I went through it all in order to save someone else and suddenly I don't feel so bad for killing the bastard who did this. I'm the one who came out strong in the end. And if I came out strong that time, then I can come out strong this time too.

I become really drowsy and put the photos away and head into my bedroom. I can't be bothered to get changed so I just flop onto my bed and try to switch my mind off completely as I close my eyes.

"_Please, Hurry!" I say into my radio absolutely petrified. _

_I can still see them, a group of about five or six hitting and kicking away at the man on the floor crying in pain. I can't wait any longer or it could be too late. I hit the gas pedal, rev the engine and head straight for the attackers. The majority of them run away but one kid remains he turns and looks directly at me. His eyes, there's something really wrong with his eyes. He refuses to move and there's a horrific crack as I hit him with the front of the car._

_I sit taking deep ragged breaths trying to calm my shaking body. What have I done, what have I done. I think I'm alone but then someone grabs hold of my shoulders and pulls me out the car window, the gang have come back. I kick and yell trying to get free but then the kicks and the punches come and I don't think they're ever going to end. The pain is tremendous and I'm scared beyond belief thinking I'm going to die. _

_Eventually it stops and I hear them yelling that they have to leave. The last thing I hear are sirens blazing down the alley before my vision goes completely black._

The sirens turn into low repetitive beeps as I open my eyes from my nightmare and realise it's my alarm clock. I'm sweating and shaking slightly still reeling that I remembered every small detail from that horrific day. I take this as a good and bad thing.

There's a knock on my door, it must be Nick coming to take me to my appointment, I didn't realise how late it was. I take some more pills as I'm getting another stress headache, jeez at the rate I'm going through these I'm surprised I haven't sprouted another head or something, I don't like taking them they make me feel like a scummy drug addict.

I run from the bedroom grab my keys and open the door for him. He smiles at me but then this soon turns into the frown.

"I know I look like death" I say with a deep sigh before Nick can open his mouth. I look in the mirror behind the door trying to do something with my hair as it's stuck out in odd angles, I must have been tossing and turning in my sleep. My skin looks unusually pale and I have red rings around my eyes, is it even possible to cry in your sleep? This was not going to give the doctor the impression I'd been doing fine the past two weeks.

"Rough night huh?" Nick asks as we walk down to the car "you're still wearing the same clothes as yesterday"

"Oh yeah well that part was just me being lazy" I say with a light laugh as we get into the car "the rest of it…I had a dream about getting beat up well it wasn't a dream it was more me remembering it all over again"

"I told you it wasn't a good idea" Nick says shaking his head as he begins to drive to the hospital and I roll my eyes. "But you're ok now right?" he asks attentively after his 'I told you so' moment is over.

"Yeah I'm fine" I say staring absentmindedly out of the window. Truth is I'm not fine my appointment is only minutes away and I _still _don't know what to do, at this rate my brain is just going to explode and I wouldn't have to make a choice, in some aspects I wish it just would.

I wonder if Warrick has told Nick about me being mugged. Probably not Nick would have said something and Warrick wouldn't want to worry Nick any further….and I still haven't told either of them I passed out, is that relevant?

We finally pull up at the hospital and I'm starting to get nervous, it feels like my first day back at the lab all over again. I get out the car and stand looking at the hospital wide eyed with a look of sheer worry on my face.

"Don't worry" Nick says coming and standing next to me and putting a gentle hand on my shoulder "it'll be fine. Just remember I'm here for you ok"

"I know. Thanks man" we exchange a smile and then I take a deep breath "let's get this over with" and we walk through the door.


	13. Chapter 13: Identity Crisis

**A/N: Thanks for the reviews my lovely readers! This chapter Greg has to make a big decision, but will it put his friendship with Nick in danger?  
**

**Please Review :D xx**

* * *

**Chapter 13: Identity Crisis **

_**Greg's POV… **_

"Greg Sanders?" the nurse calls my name and I stop jigging my leg up and down and biting my nails from the nerves.

"Can Nick come too?" I ask hopefully and she smiles and nods.

Nick and I share a look before following the nurse down some halls and into the doctor's office. When we enter he smiles at us and gets up to shake our hands too which we comply and then he indicates for us to take a seat.

"So Greg I have a few questions about your progress so far just so we're up to date with your condition" the doctor says getting out a note pad and pen. "So have you had any further memory loss, or perhaps gained some memory"

"Gained, only small things though. They normally come back to me when I don't realise I'm saying it. Although I had a dream just last night, well it was more of a recollection that something happened to me"

"Ok well that's a good sign, progress is slow but it's there. Now headaches, do you get them?" I nod slowly "how bad are they?"

"Bad" I mumble but then the doctor looks at me like he wants me to elaborate "I get sharp shooting pains rushing through my head and then the world begins to spin and my vision goes blurry. So I take the pills you gave me, they really help"

"Ok and what would you say causes you to get these headaches?"

"Stress. Turns out my job is a lot more stressful then I thought it was going to be. Like a few days ago we were jumped at a crime scene and I had to restrain the suspect" Nick gives me a really guilty look when I say this. He obviously still blames himself.

"You're a CSI correct?" the doctor questions, I nod "may I then suggest that if you don't want to leave your job you should perhaps do some work in the lab so you're out of harm's way and can take more frequent breaks. Have the headaches ever caused you to pass out?"

I suppose I better tell him about last night, the only thing is I didn't want Nick to find out and get angry I didn't tell him. I feel like I'm on trial making confessions. I can't bring myself to look at the doctor anymore so I'm instead looking at my hands and twiddle my fingers around.

"Yes…" I say in almost a whisper. I feel Nick shift beside me obviously surprised by this.

"What?" Nick says blatantly confused "When?"

"Last night… I was mugged and this guy took my wallet and pushed me to the ground and I hit my head. I was out for about twenty minutes"

"I'm sorry to hear that" the doctor says and scribbles it down on his note pad.

"Why didn't you say anything?" Nick asks me concernedly.

"Nick its ok. I ran into Warrick and I told him everything he said he'd find the guy. It was the deadbeat who asked me for money outside the store the other day. I didn't want you to worry that's all"

"Greg I want you to tell me these things so I can help. You were lying unconscious in the street anything could have happened to you!" Great now I've upset him, not what I wanted to do.

"Nick please don't get upset. I'm fine see, look at me; I'm here, you're not putting me six feet under just yet" I regret saying that as Nick seems to look even more upset.

"Well Mr Sanders as long as you try and keep your stress levels low and you're not passing out frequently then I see no reason why the surgery can't be an option. So, have you made your decision?"

I look at the doctor as he anticipates my answer, I look at Nick and his emotions right now are very hard to read. I think of the rest of the team, my friends who_ know_ I haven't been myself lately and they constantly worry about me and I know barely anything about any of them. I think of my family who I have still not met and who do not even know there's anything wrong with me. I think back to the first time I woke up and the whole world was a mystery to me, I was a mystery to me, and I still am. Thirty two years of happy memories, scared memories, sad memories, fun memories. They are all gone.

And I want them back. I want me back.

"I'll do it" I say looking the doctor in the eyes "I'll have the surgery."

* * *

Nick hasn't said a word to me since we left the hospital.

We're back at my apartment now and I offered for him to come inside and sit down hoping he would tell me what was bugging him. He is sat on the sofa spinning a coin around on the coffee table and I've got an apple which I keep absentmindedly throwing up in the air and catching again in my hand. I'm not in the mood to it eat it.

Just then there is a knock on the door and I jump up to answer it.

"Oh hey Warrick" I say smiling and stepping aside to let him in.

"Hey Greg" Warrick enters the room smiling at me "oh hey Nick" Nick mumbles something that sounds like a hey back to him but Warrick doesn't think anything of it "I believe I have something of yours" he pulls my wallet out of his pocket and holds it out for me.

"Oh my gosh you found it!" I say beaming and taking it. I check all my cards and licences, they're all there but like I suspected my cash is gone. Oh well.

"Yeah, idiot went to the bank and tried to withdraw some money from your account. The bank called us as soon as they got suspicious. We got him arrested for theft."

"Thanks so much man" I say clapping him on the back. "How's yours and Catherine's massacre case coming?"

"Not good" he sighs "it's just dead end after dead end" his pager beeps and he pulls it out his pocket "or maybe I spoke too soon. Catherine's got something for me so I better go, catch you guys later"

"Bye" Nick and I chorus and Warrick leaves the apartment. I stand looking at Nick for a while and he continues to spin the coin.

"Ok look" I say sitting down next to him "I don't know what it is that I did but I'm sorry ok. Just talk to me and we can sort it out; don't give me this silent treatment crap." He doesn't look at me. Doesn't say anything, just continues to spin the coin. I put my hand over it and snatch it away getting annoyed "Nick are you even listening? Talk to me!"

"Why!" he suddenly yells "why should I talk to you when you clearly can't talk to me!"

"I told you I didn't want you to get upset! How stupid of me to think that would ever happen" I add sarcastically.

"Oh I'm sorry for caring about my best friend" he says equally as sarcastic "and what was that remark about you not being 'six feet under yet'. Was that supposed to be funny? Is this some kind of joke to you!"

"No I do not find my life hanging in the balance funny! I'm sorry if you expect me to act all depressed and mopey but I just want to try and not think about it and get on with my life!"

"Then why did you say yes to the surgery!" Nick seems to suddenly explode jumping off the sofa and beginning to pace up and down in front of me "I thought that you were doing fine, you seemed happy, I thought I was doing right by you being a good teacher, a good supporter and friend. But no you decide to put your life in danger by having some surgery were the possibility of you actually waking up is barely even there! And you don't even talk to me about it!"

I'm absolutely fuming right now, I feel like steam should be coming out my ears. I jump out of my seat too and go stand in Nick's path so he has to stop and look at me.

"Firstly I didn't even know myself what I was going to do until the doctor asked me. Secondly no I was not fine. You have no idea what it's like to feel so isolated from the rest of the world because you have no idea what anyone is talking about. To not know who your own friends and family are, to not know who_ you_ are. To feel scared every time you go outside because you don't know where you are. To feel paranoid about the fact people know you're different and they might start to resent you!"

"No your right I don't know how that feels ,but if you just talked to me and helped me understand instead of stressing out about it then you wouldn't be making yourself worse!"

"What so you thing that I'm stressing myself out on purpose? Because right now you're not exactly helping my stress levels!"

"After everything I've done for you, you think I want you to feel this way? You think I want you to be scared? Well you're wrong ok! But you know what you're right about one thing. I don't know who you are anymore. Because the old Greg would have told me anything ok, we shared everything knew each other's secrets because we were like brothers, inseparable, me and him against the world. But now all I see is some stranger!"

These words sting the most and I'm stunned into silence for a while. My breathing deep and scowl on my face I don't know what to think or say. Nick turns away from me and runs his hands through his hair; I think I hear him sniffle slightly. He then turns to look at me and I see the sadness in his eyes.

"I don't want to lose you Greg" he says quietly and I just stare at him.

"Yeah well, I think you're too late" I say solemnly I walk over to the door and open it, indicating for Nick to leave.

"Fine, be that way" he says through gritted and storms out the door which I slam closed behind him.

I turn taking deep ragged breaths putting my hands behind my head. I've never felt so angry, so confused "God damn it!" I yell kicking the coffee table in frustration so it falls over.

I go into the bathroom and splash water in my face from the sink trying to physically cool down as well as mentally. I have a painful headache and take some pills, maybe an over dose is what I need to solve my problems right now.

I grip the sides of the sink tightly and look at my reflection in the mirror feeling the anger just coursing through me .Every second I look into it; it just gets worse and worse. I can't take it anymore. I step back and once again run my hands through my hair.

"Who are you!" I yell at my reflection in the mirror in complete rage like I expect it to answer "Who are you! I don't know who you are!"

And with that I punch who I believe to be a stranger in the face as I'm sick of him mocking me. The glass of the mirror shatters everywhere and my hand begins to bleed as it gets cut on the glass fragments, but I don't care. Instead I just sit down in the corner of the bathroom, pulling my knees into my chest and resting my head on them and for the first time since I woke up in this nightmare I cry.

I feel so alone.


	14. Chapter 14: Apologies

**A/N: Thank you for the reviews guys, always make me smile :) This chapter will Nick and Greg make up? **

**Please Review :D xx**

* * *

**Chapter 14: Apologies **

_**Nicks POV…**_

It's been two days since mine and Greg's argument.

Both of us are refusing to be the first to apologise so we haven't spoken a word to each other. The team have noticed how hostile we have become and they have all tried to get us to spill what happened, even Grissom asked us to his office to talk but we just sat not even looking at each other. Eventually they all gave up because they know that whenever Greg and I fall out it's not for long because we're just not very good at being mad at each other, but I think it's different this time because Greg is different.

On that occasion I also couldn't help but notice the bandage around Greg's hand. I have the burning desire to ask him what happened to it but I keep by stubborn mouth shut. I just hope he didn't do anything stupid.

The reason I refuse to apologise is because I feel the only thing I'm guilty of is caring about Greg and I would have liked to have known about his decision about the surgery before so maybe I could have persuaded him out of it…the risk of him…I don't want to say it… _dying _is just too much. And the fact that he didn't tell me he got robbed, like I said I _thought _we told each other everything, but apparently not. I think I may even be a little jealous that he told Warrick instead of me.

Ok so I guess I do feel a bit guilty about yelling it at him as I'm sure that didn't help his stress levels. I should have taken a more calm approach, but me being of Texan blood I don't think talking things through calmly is really an option. And I do feel bad about telling him how much he'd changed because I think that's what tipped him over the edge. I didn't mean to make it sound like I resented him because of it, because I don't…or do I… Urgh my mind is more messed up than a frog that's been put in a blender…wait what? What does that even mean! See… what I'm trying to say is I feel really confused.

I'm currently stood leaning on the doorframe of the light table room, my arms folded watching Greg struggle to use the computers properly in one of the fingerprinting labs. He looks so thin and fragile like he hasn't eaten properly in days and his skin is pale and there are deep bags under his suggesting he hasn't slept either. I can't just watch him struggle I need to do something.

"Need a hand?" I ask casually going over to the room to help him.

"No its fine" he says bluntly not taking his eyes away from the screen. I roll my own eyes as I expected this kind of reaction.

"Look just because we're not seeing eye to eye at the moment doesn't mean evidence should have to suffer"

Greg lets out a deep sigh and then stands out of the way so I can get to the screen and take a look at it. I notice the bandage around his hand is gone and I can now see deep scars and scratches all over it.

"What happened to your hand?" I ask casually as I type away on the keyboard.

"Why do you care?" he snaps. Has he really not learnt _anything_ from what I said? I'm just about to snap back when he replies in a more softened tone "I punched a mirror"

"Oh…" is the only sound I can think to make I don't know what to say to this "why?"

"I dunno I guess I was having a bit of a mental breakdown" he mumbles.

I'm shocked by this revelation and give him a bit of a worried look, but he doesn't see me because he has his eyes screwed up in pain again. I'm about to ask If he's ok but the computer beeps to signify it's found a match.

"There you go" I say stepping out of the way of the screen so Greg could have a look.

"Thanks" he says quietly and then starts to study the screen and I take it our talking time is over and we're going back to the whole silent thing. Fine if that's what he wants…

I begin to walk away annoyed when there's suddenly a smash. I spin round just in time to see the pieces of the coffee mug Greg had knocked off the table scatter across the floor followed by Greg himself hitting the ground. He lays on his side with his eyes closed, not moving; he looks like he's sleeping.

"Greg!" I exclaim panicking and running over to him I drop to my knees "Greg can you hear me?"

"What's going…?" Catherine starts at the door way, she must have heard me and come to see what happened. She gasps and there's a clatter as she drops the files she was holding in shock. "Greg! What's wrong with him, what happened?" she splutters.

"He just fainted" I say not really sure what to tell her "Greg can you hear me?" I repeat but still he shows no sign of consciousness.

"I'll call for an ambulance" Catherine says reaching for her cell.

"No!" I say firmly and she gives me a bit of a startled look, honestly it's because I don't think I can bare to look at Greg in a hospital bed ever again. "Err… I mean… there's no need, the doctor said after he was hit Greg would pass out sometimes and it was nothing to worry about because he'd come round in a matter of minutes. He's breathing completely normally; he just needs some pills when he wakes up"

"Ok…but what should we do, we can't just leave him on the floor?" she says not taking her worrying eyes away from Greg.

"Alright do you think you can help me move him and we'll lay him on the sofa in the break room" I instruct, she nods.

To be honest by the look of Greg's thin frame I could probably move him by myself but Catherine comes over and slings his left arm over her shoulder and I sling his right arm over my shoulder. We hoist ourselves to our feet with Greg and then quickly make our way across the hall without attracting attention, its actually quite disturbing how easy Greg is to move. Luckily there's no one in the break room so we lay him gently down on the sofa. Catherine sits in the chair next to him and I stand leaning against the table.

My worry is growing. I hope he wakes up soon.

* * *

_**Greg's POV…**_

One minute I'm stood at the computer screen and the next I feel really dizzy and drowsy as I knock the coffee mug to the ground and then fall down myself. I hear Nick yell something in a muffled voice but I'm too close the unconsciousness to hear. As soon as I close my eyes the memory starts…

"_Hi can I help you?" I turn to see a young man smiling at me "you look really lost"_

"_Oh I'm looking for Conrad Ecklie's office… I have a job interview about being a DNA tech here" I explain smiling back at him._

"_Oh cool! Nick Stokes, I'm a CSI here" the young man replies._

"_Wow you're a CSI" I say excitedly "you guys are like my super heroes"_

_He laughs "why thanks very much, what's your name?"_

"_Oh it's Greg, Greg Sanders" _

"_Well Greg Sanders nice to meet you" he shakes my hand "come on I'll show you where you want to be"_

"_You too and thanks. You have the most awesome accent I've ever heard" I blurt out at the end, I get quite nervous around new people._

_He laughs at me again "why thank you. So what made you want to come work here?" he asks as we begin to walk._

"_Oh well I love studying human biology and I think it would be great to help victims of crimes. I hope to be a CSI one day too. I really hope I get this job"_

"_Well this one guy I talked too wants the job so badly that he stopped paying his medical bills for treatment just so he could afford to move to Vegas and work here." Nick tells me._

"_Really? What was he being treated for?" _

"_Bad case of eczema …" Nick says. _

"_So why did you become a CSI?" I ask a few moments later. _

"_Because I'm a science nerd" Nick says giving me a light nudge in the shoulder and now I laugh at him "no all the reasons you said and the fact I'm very nosey"_

_We reach a door and there's a rather grumpy looking man waiting by it._

"_That's Ecklie" Nick whispers to me "some say that you can see the flames of hell burning in his eyes"_

_I gulp "is he really that bad?" but I soon find out._

"_Greg Sanders?" he says in an irritated tone "You're late"_

"_Oh I'm sorry sir I…"_

"_I don't care what your excuse is!" he interrupts "this isn't a very good first Impression." I look down at the floor helplessly. _

"_Hey!" Nick says in an annoyed tone "he got lost ok, perfectly reasonable for someone who's not been here before. Stop being so hard on him."_

_Ecklie glares at Nick "Fine. Come on then" he says turning to me and then back to Nick "don't you have work to be doing Rick" he says before walking to his office._

"_It's Nick" he calls after Ecklie "admiral dumb ass" he adds quietly giving a salute to Ecklie's back and I put a hand over my mouth so Ecklie won't hear me laughing._

"_Thank you" I say smiling to him._

"_No problem" he smiles back "good luck, I hope you get the job. You seem really nice and fun, everyone else who's applied has been really uptight and boring." _

"_Thanks, it would be great to work with you too. I'll hopefully see you later"_

"_Yeah see you later buddy" he says clapping me on the back and walking off down the corridor. _

And from that first meeting, I knew I would be great friends with Nick Stokes.

The light begins to pierce my eyelids and they flicker open. I groan slightly and realise I'm in the break room. I hear footsteps coming towards me and I know it's Nick. I sit up right on the sofa to look at him with a look and sadness and he does the same to me. I stand up and ….

"I'm sorry!" we blurt out at the same time and we hug like we haven't seen one another in weeks.

"I'm sorry, I know you care about me and you we're worried and I'm sorry for shouting and kicking you out" I mumble into Nick's shoulder.

"I know it's ok. I'm sorry for shouting too and being so insensitive I know you're going through a lot." He replies genuinely.

"I can't do this without you" I whisper so quiet I barely even hear myself.

"You don't have too" he replies just as quiet.

"Aww" we hear from behind us and we turn to see Sara and Catherine looking at us from the door way like we're two cute little puppies. We better be more careful when hugging because we seem to keep getting caught, very embarrassing.

"See Cath told ya they couldn't stay mad at each other for more than three days" Sara says grinning at us.

"Yeah, looks like I owe you twenty bucks" Catherine replies with a sigh, but then both she and Sara laugh.

"And to think all it took was for Greg to pass out" Sara adds with a crooked smile at me.

"Nice to know you we're sooo worried about me, making bets out of our misery humph" I fold my arms and stick my nose in the air in mock disgust, Nick does the same.

"Aww come on guys we're sorry. It was just a bit of fun" Catherine says fluttering her eyelashes at us.

"Yeah come on, how about we all go out for drinks later. Catherine and I will buy to make up for it" Sara says with a sweet smile.

Nick and I share a look "What do you think Nick, should we forgive them?"

"We could…or we could get them to grovel on their knees" Nick says and we give the girls evil grins.

"Your pushing it now" Catherine says with a warning look and Sara puts her hands on her hips.

"Alright fine" I say with a dramatic roll of my eyes "drinks it is" Just then my pager beeps "It's Grissom; I better go, catch you guys later"

They all say good bye and I leave looking forward to spending the night with all my friends for the first time I'll remember. I have a big grin on my face, the first time I think I've properly smiled in ages.

Unfortunately that smile would vanish in less than an hours' time.


	15. Chapter 15: No Way

**A/N: Thanks for the awesome reviews! This chapter both the boys seem to be in a bit of trouble…**

**Please Review :D xx**

* * *

**Chapter 15: No Way**

_**Nick's POV…**_

I watch Greg leave with a smile on my face relieved that we are talking again. Catherine leaves soon after so it's just me and Sara.

"So…have you interviewed Burton and Hanson yet?" I ask quickly.

"What?" Sara says slightly taken aback "how do you know about the suspects...Hodges" she says narrowing her eyes in annoyance.

"Look don't get mad at him I made him tell me" I confess. Hodges may not be my favourite person but I know Sara can be quite scary when she's mad so it's only fair I take the blame.

"Nick you know you're not supposed to…." She starts to lecture.

"Get involved because you could compromise the case blah, blah, blah" I interrupt rolling my eyes, Sara folds her eyes and glares at me "I know it was wrong but I just couldn't stand the fact that I knew someone within this building has attacked Greg and is walking around free. I just had to find out who might be responsible. Greg has just been so scared and miserable…I've been so scared and miserable. I just want to help bring him justice." I lean with my back in the table and look down at the floor as sadness consumes me.

"I talked to Burton first…" Sara begins coming over and leaning on the table to beside me. "It wasn't him there we're five people who could place him here at the lab at the time of the attack, one of them being Catherine. As for Hanson he's been out of the country on vacation for the past week so I haven't had chance to talk to him yet. He's back today though; I was about to go find him."

"It's gotta be him Sara" I say quietly "it has to be…"

"Nick you know I can't make assumptions without collecting all the evidence" Sara says almost solemnly. She rubs my arm and gives me a half smile before leaving the room.

I sigh and rub my eyes, I just need an answer. I find it quite strange I've not seen this Hanson guy even though he's worked here for nearly two months now. I go over to one of the computers and look in the labs database to see if I can pull up a photo. I find one that looks fairly recent. His skin is raw red and blotchy….I haven't seen eczema that bad since….Oh. My. God.

I run through the halls of the lab like nothing could slow me down. I nearly knock Hodges over and trip over his trolley but I just keep on going. I burst through the door of Captain Brass' office where Sara is talking to him. They both look at me in utter shock by my dramatic entrance.

"Hanson…" I say through ragged breaths as I try and get his back "where is he…."

"I just sent him to Greg's scene, he seemed pretty eager to go" Brass says still in shock "why?"

I moan and think my legs are going to buckle underneath me so I lean against the wall.

"I think he's gunna try and kill Greg."

* * *

_**Greg's POV… **_

The house I'm at for my scene is practically in the middle of nowhere. Oh I can drive now by the way, turns out when I got behind the wheel of a car it all came slowly back to me so I soon got going, although I had to use my sat nav thing to find the place. I think it's an old ranch as there is a barn and horses stables on the perimeter.

I go inside the house to find a detective smiling at me, the only reason I know this is because I spot his badge, I smile back not knowing who he is. It appears to be just the two of us and the dead body of an old man laid on the kitchen floor.

"You must be CSI Sanders "the detective says chirpily but then he adds in a stranger tone "I've been dying to work with you"

"Oh…erm…thank you" I say uncertainly. I'm trying to decide if he's being creepy or not.

"You don't even know my name do you?" I hear a flash of anger in his voice when he says this. "It's Hanson, _detective _Tom Hanson"

"I knew that…" I say nodding at him "of course I knew that" I mumble under my breath.

I walk over to the body and put my case down before I start to take pictures. I feel Hanson's eyes baring down on me like a Hawk and its making me feel really uncomfortable.

He suddenly gives out low chuckle "you really don't know who I am do you?" he says shaking his head.

"No…" I say feeling kind of bad but also feeling a little intimidated by his strange tone "I'm sorry…it's just my life's a bit messed up at the moment, I've been in hospital recently…"

"Oh I know" he says walking towards me with his hands behind his back.

I begin to walk backwards myself until I bump into the wall, I'm feeling quite frightened now.

"H-how?" I stutter out, my fright getting worse as a cold evil grin spreads across Hanson's face.

"Because I'm the one who put you there"

* * *

_**Nick's POV…**_

"Wait so tell me again how you know this guy attacked Greg?" Sara says for the second time still trying to get her mind around it. We are now following two cop cars up to Greg's scene, Sara driving.

"Hanson applied for the job of DNA tech at the same time Greg did. He had to stop paying his medical bills just so he could afford to move to Vegas, he was so desperate to work here, I remember telling Greg about him. But obviously he didn't get the job, Greg did, and now he's out for revenge, probably from pure jealousy. Plus I asked Brass which other officers were at the scene with us where Greg got attacked, he said Hanson was one of them but claimed to have left early because he wasn't feeling too good…that's when he must have attacked Greg"

"But why now?" Sara asked still confused "why would Hanson wait years and years to make his move?"

"well first of all he'd have to train to become a detective" I point out "and then maybe once he found out Greg had been promoted to a CSI, that really pissed him off" I pull my cell from my pocket and type in Greg's number, it goes straight to voice mail. "Greg listen to me, as soon as you get this I want you get out that house and get back to the lab, just trust me and I'll explain everything later I promise"

"He still not answering?" Sara asks quietly.

"No…" I say just as quiet "I swear to God if that bastard lays another finger on Greg…"

"We'll get him" Sara buts in before I say something I'll regret "Greg's gunna be ok"

* * *

_**Greg's POV…**_

I'm right up against the wall now, with Hanson glaring deep into my eyes. He has his hands on the wall either side of me so he's blocking me in, I stand as straight as possible but I'm shaking badly, I don't know what to do. I left my gun back at the lab like the stupid idiot I am, you'd have thought I've had learnt by now but I figured it would be unnecessary at this scene, I couldn't have been more wrong if I'd tried. I'm so scared I just wish I could phase through the wall and make a run for it, but I obviously knew that wasn't going to happen.

I give a startled jump as my phone rings in the back pocket of my jeans and I know it has to be one of the team checking up on me.

"Give it to me" Hanson demands but I can't bring myself to move "fine" he growls and grabs hold of me pulling me off the wall and I whimper in pain as he tightly pins my right arm to my back before shoving his hand in my pocket and taking out my phone. He pushes me to the ground and I watch as he pulls the battery from my phone, throws it to the ground and smashes it with his foot.

I take this small opportunity to scramble to my feet and make a sprint for the door. I run outside to the car and feel for the keys in my back pocket but Hanson has taken those too. There's a sharp bang and a smash as a bullet goes flying through the car window. I panic and see the barn a few yards away so I make a run for it.

Another shot fires from behind me and I practically feel the wind as the bullet rushes over my head. I get into the barn and drag the heavy door shut behind me. There's an old rusty tractor in here along with mounds of straw and hay bales. I climb up a ladder and perch myself on the rafters, right in the corner so I'm concealed behind a mound of hay. I try to steady my breathing and be as quiet as possible as I hear the barn door creek open.

"Ah I see what you've done here…" Hanson says as I hear him begin to walk around the barn "it's like find the needle in the hay stack…except the needle is a CSI…" he goes quiet as he paces around the bottom of the barn, I hear the rustling of straw as he moves it to check that's not where I'm hiding. I hear him start to come up the ladder now and I clasp both hands over my mouth to try and prevent him from hearing my breathing. "Come out, come out where ever you are…" he says in a singsong voice.

He's getting closer and closer. I wriggle slightly further into the hay to conceal myself when I feel something hard make contact with my foot…a rock… I pick it up and grip it firmly in my hand ready for use if necessary. I peer out from behind the hay and see Hanson is facing away from me, stood at the edge. This is it…this is my chance.

I raise the rock and begin to creep up behind him, but then some hay snaps beneath my feet and Hanson spins round quick, I just freeze up from fear.

"Oh no you don't you sneaky bastard!" Hanson yells angrily and he grabs hold of my shirt before throwing me over the edge.

I hit the ground with a hard thud.

* * *

_**Nick's POV…**_

We pull up at the scene and I immediately jump from the car.

"You come with me to the house" Brass says pointing at an officer "Sara go with officer Mitchel to check the horse stables. Officer Langley, go with Nick to the barn" we all nod and spilt off to our separate locations "and Nick!" Brass calls after me I turn to face him "please don't do anything stupid."

I nod again but I know this is a promise I cannot keep as I pull my gun from its holster. I take the lead and Langley stays behind as we walk cautiously towards the barn. There doesn't appear to be any movement inside until we get closer and I hear something that sounds like its fallen over. Just then I hear a click from behind me as Langley takes the safety off his gun.

I spin round to frown at him questionably but I'm shocked to see him pointing his gun at me.


	16. Chapter 16: Guilty

**A/N: Thank you for the awesome reviews! This chapter will Nick and Greg make it out ok?**

**Please Review :D xx**

* * *

**Chapter 16: Guilty **

_**Nick's POV…**_

"You're in on this aren't you" I say narrowing my eyes in anger "you're trying to help Hanson hurt Greg!" I point my gun at him too so we appear to be in stale mate, it may come down to who's faster on the trigger.

"So what" he snarls "I'm helping out a friend, just like you are"

"Yeah well my friend's not an utter psychopath!" I whisper in anger, I don't want to be too loud in case Hanson is about and finds out I'm here.

"No but he's a jerk!" Langley says not being as quiet as me "Do you realise how much Tom risked to get that job? But that brat had to come along and take it from him…"

"So what you're blaming Greg for being better at it then Hanson was? People compete for jobs every day, but you don't try and kill the person who gets it over you! You keep trying until it's your turn"

"Have you seen Hanson? Have you seen what not being able to afford medical treatment has done to him? His self-confidence has hit rock bottom, no one takes a cop who looks like him seriously!"

"Look, I'm really sorry about that" I say as understanding as I can "but maybe he should see a psychiatrist instead of taking it out on Greg. He's suffering too; he lost his memory when Hanson hit him the first time…"

A sickening evil grin spreads across Langley's face "Good…" he says coldly "I guess that's better than nothing"

That's when I totally lose it.

I become blinded by pure rage as I launch myself at Langley and wrap my hands tight around his throat. He starts to choke and drops the gun to try and prise my hands off of him. He manages to kick me in the chest and send me flying into the dirt, he scrambles for his gun and I grab hold of mine. I manage to get behind him and whack him round the back of the head with the handle. He's knocked out cold.

"See how you like it?" I say through gritted teeth before holding my gun properly again and making my way over to the barn door. "Tom Hanson?" I call "LVPD open the door!"

"Shush, shush, shush" Is all I hear as a quiet reply. I open the door by a margin and cautiously slip inside.

My eyes widen in horror at the sight before me.

Hanson Is on his knees with Greg laid across them looking like he's in a deep sleep. Hanson strokes Greg's hair just like I did when I found him after he was attacked. It's like Hanson is mocking our friendship and it makes me feel sick.

"Can we do this quietly?" He whispers "the lab rat is sleeping." He says almost spitefully "You don't want to wake him do you? Look how peaceful he is…"

"Why don't you just get the hell away from him" I say pointing my gun at Hanson now "You've already done enough…lay one more finger on him and I _will _kill you…"

"Ooh bit tetchy aren't we…besides I don't think you're in any position to be making the demands around here"

"What the hell is that supposed to mean!" I demand growing angrier by the second. Just then Greg lets out a straggled groan.

"Aww now look what you did" Hanson says annoyed at me as Greg slowly opens his eyes.

Greg looks around confused at first with his eyes half closed "Nick, what are you…?" He says looking bemused and that's when he realises Hanson looking down on him "Oh my god!" he cries and tries to move away but Hanson wraps his arm tight around Greg's waist and holds a gun to his head.

"You're not getting away this time" Hanson says through gritted teeth.

"No p-please d-don't" Greg says through tears "N-Nick" he stutters looking at me wide eyed in complete fear and my heart feels like it's been shattered into millions of pieces.

"It's all going to be alright I promise" I say to Greg as comfortingly as possible but there is a quiver in my voice that suggests I don't believe it.

"Don't get his hopes up like that" Hanson smirks and there is a click as he takes the safety off his gun.

"What did I do?" Greg says desperately "I don't understand."

"Look at me!" Hanson yells "Look at me and always remember I look like this because of you! Nobody I arrest takes me seriously. No girl wants to touch me. I applied for that job at the lab the same time you did, and if I had got it then everything would have been ok. I could keep affording the treatment, but no…perfect little Sanders had to come along and ruin my life! And now I plan on taking yours…"

"No, Nick please don't let him kill me!" Greg says kicking about and trying to squirm free but Hanson holds onto him tighter.

"Stop moving or you're just going to make more of a mess!" Hanson yells.

_What the hell are you waiting for!_ My head is screaming at me _can't you see how scared Greg is!_ I can't just stand here anymore I have to do something.

But I'm too late as there is a heart clenching crack…

* * *

_**Greg's POV… **_

"No, Nick please don't let him kill me!" I say pretending to be really scared…well, I am a little scared…ok, more than a little…but I am over exaggerating so Hanson thinks he's got me well and truly wrapped around his little finger…he of course has no idea about the rock I'm currently holding behind my back which I managed to hold on to.

"Stop moving or you're just going to make more of a mess!" Hanson yells in my ear and I flinch, but only for a moment as I bring my arm round, rock in my hand and hit Hanson round the side of the head.

There is a crack as it makes contact with his skull and he's knocked out instantly.

"Didn't see that coming did you?" I say to his still body but I'm trembling as I can't quite come to terms with what I've done "just like I didn't see you coming that day…" I turn to Nick "Please don't look at me like that" I say quietly as he looks at me in utter shock.

Nick simply puts his gun back in his holster and floats over to me, not saying a word he wraps his arms around me and I bury my head in his shoulder and let a few tears slip.

Just then the door bursts open and I look up to see Brass storm in followed by two cops and Sara, all with their guns raised. They all stand for a moment trying to figure out what on Earth's been going on, but then Sara puts her gun away and runs over to Nick and I flinging either arm around us and we hug her back.

"Thank god you're ok….when we saw Langley outside…I thought…" she goes quiet.

"You ain't getting rid of us that easy" Nick says with a light laugh, I remain silent not sure what to say anymore.

"Seems you guys have a knack for knocking people out" Brass says looking at Hanson "go get the medics" Brass says to the cops and they leave "we already called them for Langley" he explains.

"Erm yeah…" Nick says awkwardly looking at Brass "I guess I should explain about that."

"I'm sure you had reason…Greg did you hit Hanson?" Brass asks me and I give a small nod, firstly because speech has still not returned to me and secondly my head is killing me and I'm afraid that if I do open my mouth I'll just call out in pain anyway.

"Ok well I'll need to take statements from both of you…I'm just glad you're ok" Brass says as the medics come through the doors and start to tend to Hanson.

"Greg does your head hurt?" Nick asks me like it's just become a sixth sense to him now and Sara and Brass give him a curious look. Again I simply nod "well then maybe you should get checked over too" he says concernedly. I shake my head this time.

"Is he…" I say quietly tearing myself away from the others and walking over to the medics "is he alive…"

"Yes but he's in critical condition" the medic says looking into Hanson's eyes with a torch "we better get him in quick I think he's haemorrhaging".

"N-no" I stutter, backing away slightly "he can't be…I didn't mean to… I just…he just…oh my God" I can't take this anymore, I have to get out of here, I have to feel like I can breathe.

I run out of the barn and keep running as fast as I can, where I don't know, but what I do know is I have to get as far from here as possible. I run into one of the old fields that must have belonged to a ranch. Any crops that where here are long gone and there are only the shrivelled remains. There is an abandoned, rusty old tractor in the middle underneath a withered old tree. I stop there and lean against the tree taking deep breaths; I take the bottle of pills from my pocket and take a couple before rubbing my temples trying to ease the excruciating pain.

I notice an old shot gun leaning against the tractor. Picking it up is probably not the best thing to do considering I'm not in the right state of mind at the moment but I do anyway. Not really paying attention to what I'm doing I open the barrel and see there are still two bullets inside. It makes a click as I lock and load it again.

"No Greg don't!" I hear Nick's panicked voice as he comes running up to me, I turn to look at him keeping the shot gun in my hands.

As soon as Nick arrives he desperately rips the thing from my hands and throws it across the ground "What were you… how could you…I thought you were going to hurt yourself!" Nick says getting himself in a right state.

"No, no I wasn't going to do anything I swear!...at least I think I wasn't… no I wasn't I'm just not thinking straight! I'm so sorry I didn't mean to scare you"

"Scare me?" Nick says in a bit of disbelief "Scare me? Greg, you nearly gave me a freakin' heart attack!"

"I'm sorry…" I mumble sinking to the floor "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry" tears begin to flow silently down my cheeks. Nick sinks down beside me and pulls me towards him and I rest my head on his chest. "I can't believe I did that…I can't believe I did exactly what he did to me to him and now he might die…I didn't want to kill him, I just wanted him to get off me."

"I know" Nick says soothingly "but don't you dare go blaming yourself, he was going to kill you, he turned your life upside down. Besides he's not dead yet…and I'm telling you if you hadn't hit him with that rock, I'd have shot him anyway" he finishes with a rather spiteful tone.

"I know but when I found out I killed Demetrius….I felt like a complete monster, he was just a kid. And now I might have killed someone else, I know he was trying to hurt me but then I hurt him and that makes me just as bad. I just feel so much guilt"

"No way, you can't compare yourself to them. We don't like hurting people, but like I said sometimes it's kill or be killed. I'm not saying they deserve to die but all the people we hurt we have to because they've done a bad thing, it's not like they're innocent people."

I ponder this for a moment "I guess you're right" I mumble, but I know very well that it would still not help me sleep at night.

"I'm always right, just you remember that" Nick says with a light laugh.

We stay in silence for a while whilst I think things over. I find it peaceful and comforting as Nick still lets me rest on his chest and the wind blows through our hair. The left over leaves on the tree rustle slightly and I watch as a couple break free and spiral in a synchronized fashion, as one, to the floor to join its friends on the pile.

"I think it's time" I say quietly "I think I'm ready"

"For what?" Nick asks sounding confused.

"I think it's time to tell the others about my brain damage"


	17. Chapter 17: Coming Clean

**A/N: Thanks for reviews as always! This chapter Greg tells the rest of the team about his condition, how will they react?**

**Also I'm posting a prologue for a new story today! It's quite different from anything I've done before so please check it out if you want to :) Don't worry though I am still continuing with this story, I'll just do both!**

**Please Review :D xx**

* * *

**Chapter 17: Coming Clean **

_**Greg's POV…**_

The next day and I walk into the lab with my head held high trying to seem confident. I run my speech over and over in my head but I know I'm probably not going to use it. As I walk into the conference room I see that all my colleagues are sharing the same puzzled and somewhat worried expression as I told them all to meet here without any real explanation, just that it was important.

Sara, Warrick, Catherine and Grissom all sit at the table. Warrick has his arm draped around Catherine's shoulder, while Sara taps her fingers on the table in an unfamiliar rhythm. As usual Grissoms face is inscrutable, but he of course already knows what I'm going to say.

Nick is leant with one leg up on the wall and his arms folded looking at the floor, I think he's hoping the others don't react too badly. Brass is here too stood with his hands in his pockets, I know we aren't that close it seems but I still feel he deserves to know. I even asked Hodges to come and he stands in a similar way as Nick and I can tell he doesn't really want to be here, he's just being nosey.

I take a deep breath before putting my hands together in a way that looks like I'm praying, and for good reason.

"Ok so most of you are probably wondering why I called you here" I begin looking around at each of them "Nick's known all along and Grissom found out a few days ago but please don't get mad at them because I begged them not to tell anyone" everyone else turns to look at the two men, Grissom remains in his poker face state and Nick looks slightly ashamed. "As you all know a few weeks ago I was jumped at a crime scene and I suffered from a severe head injury…what some of you don't know is the severe extent of it."

Sara puts a hand over her mouth and Catherine looks wide eyed in fear, even Hodges is starting to show some concern.

"I…boy this is hard…" I whisper. Nick pushes off the wall and comes to stand beside me to show I have his support, I give him a small smile "I'm suffering severe memory loss, so I don't know any of you as well as you think I do"

"Oh my god" Catherine wails turning and burying her head in Warrick's shoulder who himself is staring into the distance in surprise. Sara seems to be frowning slightly whether it's because she's angry or confused, I'm not sure, while Brass and Hodges look a bit taken aback.

"How bad?" Warrick asks me quietly "how bad is it?"

"Bad enough for me to not even know my own name when I woke up. I didn't know who I was, where I was, what I looked like. I didn't recognise Nick, I wouldn't know my own mom if she looked me in the face. I didn't remember anything about the job or about you so Nick has tried to tell me as much as he can and he's been absolutely amazing these past few weeks and I couldn't have done this without him" I feel Nick put a hand lightly on my shoulder and give it a squeeze as a thank you "but really I still don't know a lot about you…about anything"

"I knew you'd been acting weirder than usual lately" Hodges chimes in but then shuts up when Brass glares at him.

"Yeah as you've probably noticed I have been making a lot of mistakes and I've really just been bluffing my way through life the past few weeks. I also get these really bad stress headaches and if you've seen me taking any pills then that's why…" Everyone stays in stunned silence for a while.

"I'm sorry kid. Is there anything they can do?" Brass eventually asks.

"Well that's the next part…I've been scheduled to have surgery done once they find an appropriate surgeon. It's only been done a few times and it could easily go wrong." I look at them all now as tears begin to well in my eyes.

"Oh Greggo" Catherine whispers getting up and coming to fling her arms around my neck in a tight embrace. "Why didn't you tell us sooner? You know we care so much about you."

"Well firstly I was worried that if Ecklie found out then I'd lose my job and that would mean losing you guys too. Then I was worried you might resent me because I was different; I didn't want you to feel like you were treading on egg shells around me. It wouldn't have been fair on me or you. I just didn't think you'd understand."

"Man of course we would have" Warrick says giving me a genuine look. "Like Catherine said we care about you and we could have helped you and Nick. We'll still help you."

"Thanks Warrick. I just couldn't go on holding it from you any longer, and I do feel so bad for keeping it from you this long. And I'm going to work my damn hardest to make sure I get back every last memory of you and the times we shared together."

"Well I'm sure there's a few with me you'll be happy to have forgotten" Hodges mumbles and I can't help but give him a small smile.

"Always remember we're right by your side and we'll stand by you no matter what. We'll help you through this" Catherine says and I hug her again.

"Yeah well speak for yourself" Sara says bitterly with a deep frown on her face and she storms out the room.

"Sara…" I start turning to go after her but Nick pulls me back.

"It's ok I'll go" he says gently and then hurries out after her leaving the rest of us in a state of shock.

* * *

_**Nick's POV…**_

I catch up with Sara in the locker room. She's sat on the benches with her head in her hands and I hear her sniffing slightly as she tries hard not to cry. She doesn't look up at me as I enter and sit down on the bench beside her. I decide to wait until she is ready to talk.

"You lied to me!" she suddenly snaps angrily and I jump a little "I asked you if anything was wrong and you said no. You said that if anything was wrong you would tell me!"

"I know, I know and I'm sorry, but Greg and I just didn't want to worry any of you guys until Greg felt he was ready to tell you."

"I thought we were close Nick" She says sounding really hurt now "I thought you and I were close, I thought Greg and I were close. You should have known that I would have helped and been supportive and I can't believe how devious you've been"

"Sara just put yourself in Greg's position. How would you feel if you woke up one day and didn't know the world around you? Would you want everyone knowing how different you were in case they started to resent you, to treat you like you were incapable?"

"But I know Greg's not incapable and I'm just finding it hard because he obviously can't trust me anymore, any of us, and that's sad" her face has softened now from its former aggression and she looks deeply upset. I put an arm around her and am glad when she doesn't shrug me away.

"If I hadn't been there when Greg woke up then he wouldn't have had anyone and he'd be so alone. I know it took a lot for him to be able to trust me but he knows that we all care about him. He's sorry for not telling you sooner but he thought he was doing the right thing because he didn't want to be a burden. He doesn't know you that well and he didn't want you to feel obliged to anything"

Sara just looks at me with sad eyes and doesn't say a word. I hear movement behind me and her eyes flicker over to whoever it is and I turn to see Greg, he looks really pale and has red rings around his eyes. At least he managed to prise himself away from Catherine. Sara stands up and faces Greg, folding her arms in more of a casual way than an angry one.

"Sara I'm so sorry that it took so long for me to tell you. But please, _please _don't be mad. I really like you and I know that we must have been close because you're such a kind and caring person. We can still be close." And then he breaks "P-please d-don't be mad. I am so, scared and I n-need you"

Sara gently moves towards him and wipes the tears away with her thumbs that have just begun to roll down Greg's cheeks, before giving him a light kiss on the forehead and wrapping her arms around him.

"Greggo I'm so sorry" she whispers "I was being totally irrational. I understand now why you felt you couldn't say anything. And of course I'll stand by you no matter what; we'll get you through this together. Forgive me?"

"There's nothing to forgive" Greg says with a light smile and the world suddenly seems normal again.

"Aww you guys" I say joining in with the emotions "group hug" I smile going over and wrapping my arms around Greg so Sara is squeezed in the middle.

"Nick, I will kill you later for ruining this beautiful moment!" Greg says in a mock threat but he manages to put his arms around me anyway whilst Sara laughs.

"Hey, it's not a beautiful moment unless I'm in it" I retort and we all burst out laughing.

"Ok you guys, I can see that you're still your funny, mischievous selves but I really can't breathe" Sara says and Greg and I eventually decide to release her.

* * *

_**Greg's POV…**_

Sara, Nick and I returned to the conference room with smiles on our faces much to the relief of the others. Sara apologises to the others for storming out and they say it was no big deal as long as we've made up now.

Brass gives me a pat on the back and wishes me well before heading off back to work. Hodges gives me somewhat of an awkward smile and tries to escape but giving him an evil grin I wrap my arms around him in tight embrace pinning his arms to his sides and he lets out a startled yelp whilst the others laugh. After I release Hodges it's just the six of us, the original team and I cannot tell you how relieved I am that they have all decided to support me.

A few hours later and it is the end of my shift. I leave with a smile on my face as for the past few hours everyone just carried on as normal. There was no asking me "are you ok?" every 5 minutes, no treating me like I might break at any minute, no hovering around me as I worked, I feel stupid as it seems like I was being worried for nothing. Once I get home I'm going to lie in my bed and sleep well for the first time in ages, but there is one stop I need to make first.

I park outside the hospital and head into the reception desk asking about Tom Hanson saying that I am a friend, ha, some friend. The nurse tells me he seems to be stable now and should make a full recovery, and I have to say I'm quite relieved, I don't know how I could live with myself if I learnt I'd killed him.

The nurse walks me down the hall to Hanson's room and I stand outside looking through the window at his chest bobbing up and down. As well as being here to make sure I hadn't killed him, I'm also here in hope it will put my fears at rest. Seeing him this way I know Hanson can no longer hurt me and I feel a lot safer in my world.

"Mr Sanders?" I hear behind me. I spin round to see my doctor walking towards me. I smile and he gives a smile back. "I was just about to call you actually regarding you're surgery."

"Oh yes?" I say simply not sure whether I should be feeling nervous or happy.

"We found a surgeon for you" the doctor tells me with a smile "How does next week sound to you?"


	18. Chapter 18: Surprises

**A/N: Wow lots of reviews on the last chapter, I've passed the 50 mark so thanks so much guys I'm so happy! This chapter Greg gets a surprise visitor and learns more about his troubled past.**

**Please Review :D xx**

* * *

**Chapter 18: Surprises**

_**Nick's POV…**_

"Next week!" I exclaim more than a little shocked. Greg and I are sitting in the break room sipping coffee waiting for the others when he decides to drop the bombshell on me.

"Yep, Wednesday to be exact" he says taking another sip.

"But that's…" I count on my fingers to double check wanting to be totally sure "that's in five days that's less than a week!"

"Really Nick I'd forgotten how to count to five" Greg says with a roll of his eyes leaning back in his chair with his cup in his hands, how can he be so calm about this.

"But I thought you had a few months, ya know to do…stuff" I know how dumb I sound but I can't help but be a little freaked out, I may have less time left with Greg than I thought…no I can't think like that, he's going to be fine.

"So did I but they found a surgeon already so I just figured it was best to get it over with" Greg says casually. "They'll do the operation on Wednesday and I'll probably be out of it until Thursday"

"Oh Great…" I sigh "best birthday present ever" I mumble leaning back and taking a sip of coffee.

"What?" Greg asks.

"Nothing, it's not important" I say with a dismissive wave of my hand.

"No, no you definitely said… Is it your birthday next week?" Greg asks a wide smile spreading on his face.

"No…maybe…possibly…yes, next Thursday to be exact. The big four zero" I say feeling slightly embarrassed.

"Oh why didn't you say anything? I haven't even got you a present…"

"Because like I said it's not important, it's not about me right now it's about you and making sure you get better. Which you will" I say firmly raising an eyebrow at him.

"Nick it's not all about me, come on this is a big birthday for you. You can't stop me from getting you a gift" he says with a smug smile.

"Greg, the best gift you could give me is waking up Thursday with that big grin on your face and telling me you remember everything you thought you'd lost"

"You're a big softy really did you know that?" Greg says laughing at me "Ok I think that's doable…but I'm still getting you something else…" I just roll my eyes as a way of admitting defeat.

"Hey guys" Catherine says as she and Sara walk into the room "What are we talking about?"

"Oh just teasing the birthday boy" Greg says with a wink at me and I give him a menacing look.

"Why of course" Sara says sitting down next to me "as is tradition", and I give her a look suggesting 'don't you start'.

Grissom and Warrick arrive a few minutes later and we all sit round the table as Grissom hands us out the day's assignments.

"Erm whilst we're all here" Greg speaks up after Grissom has finished " I have my operation next Wednesday so I'll be away from work for a while…and…it would really mean a lot to me If you guys would come to the hospital to wish me luck"

"Next week?" Warrick says confused "that's a bit soon isn't it"

"Please don't I've just been through all this with Nick" Greg says rolling his eyes.

"Of course we'll be there" I say giving Greg a sincere look and Warrick and Sara nod to back me up.

"How you feeling about it?" Catherine asks Greg sitting down beside him and putting an arm around his shoulder, rubbing it gently.

"Well…" Greg seemed to be trying to choose his words carefully "I'm not going to lie I thought I was ok with it and feeling pretty confident but really I'm just scared, what is something goes wrong?" his face falls into a worried frown.

I wish I could say something to comfort him but I can't because the truth is I have the same fear. Just the thought of losing Greg is unbearable and I couldn't imagine what my life would be like without him, without my friend who can cheer me up no matter what, listen to me and let me vent my frustration on him and still want to be my friend, the friend I love like my little brother.

"Sweetie nothing is going to go wrong" Catherine says resting her head on Greg's shoulder.

"Yeah Greg this surgeon is the best at what they do and are obviously capable of preforming the procedure. They won't make any mistakes." This was Grissom's input. Greg gave him an appreciative smile.

"Thanks you guys." He says "For the past couple of weeks you're the only family I've known… and I couldn't have asked for better."

* * *

_**Greg's POV… **_

Well here we are. Wednesday 12pm. I have been admitted into the hospital and have changed into appropriate hospital wear. My doctor came to see me and talked me through the operation, I think he was trying to make me more at ease but if anything it just made me feel more nervous. The operation will take place at 5pm this afternoon and I should wake up tomorrow morning. Emphasis on the 'should'… a lot could happen between now and then…

I am sat up in my bed twiddling my fingers nervously awaiting the arrival of the team. I hope they come soon because if I'm left alone with my negative thoughts for much longer then I'm going to go insane. Eventually I get up and start frantically pacing up and down the room muttering to myself "it'll be fine, you'll be fine, it's all going to be fine"

The door to my room opens and a woman I don't recognise stands there looking at me with wide, sad eyes. She seems to be shaking slightly and her breathing is a bit strange.

"Can I help you?" I ask concernedly thinking she must have got the wrong room, poor woman she's a right state. She just lets out a stifled cry and tears begin to fall from her eyes "Oh please don't cry" I say going closer to her. I was going to put a comforting hand on her arm but I pull back not sure what to do, the woman only cries harder "What's wrong? I'm sure it'll be alright"

"Oh my baby!" She whispers in a rather strange accent. She comes over to me and hugs me so tight I can barely breathe.

"Ma'am please I think you have me confused" I say trying break free, I can see she's really upset and I feel bad for her but she's kinda creeping me out.

"So it's true" she sniffles pulling away from me "my own boy…he doesn't even recognise me."

Then it clicks in my mind. How could I have been so stupid "Mom…?"

"Yes darling…" she says quietly running her hand through my hair "yes I'm your mom"

"I'm sorry I didn't….I mean…I'm sorry" I stutter but I wrap my arms around the woman in a hug, my mom, I can't believe she's here, I can't believe I didn't recognise her but I cannot describe in words how happy I am that she came.

"I can't believe you didn't tell me!" she says shrilly "Mister Grissom called me and told me what happened, I was in hysterics, I flew over straight away, I just had to see you…" she says cupping my face in her hands.

"I'm glad you came" I say putting my hands on hers.

"Come in sweetie sit down, you shouldn't be out of bed" She says pulling me over to the bed. "Do you need anything?" she asks plumping my pillow "something to eat? A nurse?" this must be the over protective mom Nick told me about.

I don't know why it bothered me so much because I can see she is more at ease her taking care of me and I'm so appreciative of having a caring mom like her when I know some people's couldn't give a damn.

"No I'm fine, I just want you to sit here and talk to me, tell me stories about when I was growing up…I miss my childhood"

My mom smiles, pulls a chair up to the bed, takes my hand in hers and spends the next couple of hours telling me all these stories from when I was about three right up until I left home for college. The whole time I'm smiling at all the happy times I had and I laugh at all the crazy stuff I apparently did and I can't believe I'd ever do. Now I feel more determined than ever to get through this as I want to remember every last single detail about these stories.

She tells me about how every year from my fifth birthday my dad would take me camping, just me and him, and I never wanted to come home because I had so much fun fishing and hiking with him. She says he and I even had a secret spot by the lake where he made a tyre swing from the trees for me when I was little and he'd stand and push my on it for hours.

"Dad is coming to see me right?" I ask hopefully "I really want to see him"

"Oh you don't even remember" My mom whispers falling back into a state of pure upset and I can see the tears welling in her eyes.

"What is it? What's wrong?" I say squeezing her now shaking hand. There is worry growing in the pit of my stomach.

"Sweetie…." She looks me directly in the eyes "your dad died when you were sixteen"

All the happiness I had previously felt leaves me and I begin to shake. This can't be…he can't be gone, I don't even remember him, I have to know him, I have to.

"But…how?" I ask the tears now welling in my eyes too.

"He went to the store one day…and there was a robbery going on…your father being the selfless man he was tired to help the store owner by trying to take down the robber…but the robber was too fast and he shot your father down…he was murdered and that robber was never found"

I sit in silence for what seems like an eternity as I try and take this all in. This must be the reason why Nick said I didn't talk about my father; I didn't like to think about it and how he was so unfairly ripped away from me. I miss him more than ever now. At least before I thought he was alive but now I don't even remember what he looks like and I can't ever see him again.

"Is that why I wanted to work at the crime lab and be a CSI?" I ask quietly "because dad's killer was never caught and I didn't want other families to suffer the same injustice we did?"

My Mom nods and I feel all my questions have been answered.

"Then I'm going to get through this for him, because I know that he'd want me to fight just like he did." I say looking her in the eyes and squeezing her hands "I'm going to get through this for him, for you, for my friends, for me"

"Oh Gregory Hojem" she sniffles getting up and sitting next to me on the bed "your father would be so proud of you as am I and I know Mister Grissom and the rest of your friends are too." I smile and rest my head on her shoulder and she strokes my hair. We sit in silence for a while when suddenly I get the familiar rush as I get another memory.

"There's a song" I suddenly blurt out and she looks at me in surprise.

"What?" she asks confused.

"I remember" I say creasing my eyebrows and thinking hard, the memory is there and I just have to try and hang onto it "when I was little and I had a nightmare and I got really scared, you'd come and sit with me in my room and sing to me until I fell asleep…yes you said it was an old Norwegian song that your mother sang to you. I could never understand what you were saying but it always made me feel better"

"Why yes of course" My mother says back to me as she remembers too.

At first she hums the familiar tune and then she starts to quietly sing it to me and I feel the most calm that I've felt since I woke up in this harsh reality all those weeks ago.


	19. Chapter 19: Family

**A/N: Thank you for the reviews guys! This is the second to last chapter! :O Greg says his goodbyes and goes for surgery.**

** Please Review :D xx**

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**Chapter 19: Family **

_**Nick's POV…**_

We arrive at the hospital at around 3pm. Sara, Grissom, Catherine, Warrick and I have all come to see Greg before his surgery just like we promised. Catherine slips her hand into mine as we walk through the doors and I grip it tight. Catherine and I were the ones who came to see Greg after he was attacked and when he passed out in the lab, so seeing him in hospital again so soon is going to be hard for the both of us.

Grissom asks the receptionist for Greg's room and she calls a nurse to take us down there. We all enter the room to find Greg talking to a woman I recognise to be his mother; I met her once when she came to see him in hospital after the lab explosion. It's horrible that the only times we ever meet is when Greg is hurt.

"You guys made it!" Greg says happily beaming up at us.

"Of course we did kiddo" Catherine says going over to Greg and giving him a hug.

"I guess I better leave now and let you say goodbye to your friends" Greg's mother says giving him an extremely tight looking hug and kissing him on the cheek a few times, Greg blushes in embarrassment. "I'll see you when you wake up sweetie…" the poor woman seems close to tears with worry "you'll be ok, I love you"

"I love you too mom" Greg says giving her hand a quick squeeze and she gives him one last smile before leaving the room.

"How you feeling?" Sara asks taking Greg's moms place by his side.

"Better now that I've seen my mom and you guys, but I'm still a little scared" he admits sheepishly.

"Well you shouldn't be" Warrick says "nothing will go wrong or else they'll have Nick and me to answer too" he says with a nudge to my shoulder as I appear to be day dreaming, as I suspected I'm finding this rather difficult.

"Yeah" I say nodding my head vigorously trying to focus again and Greg just laughs at me.

"I guess I should say this now then, they'll be coming to get me soon. Just in case…just in case something goes wrong…"

"No Greg don't" Catherine pleads; I can see the tears in her eyes.

"No I have to" Greg says firmly "I just want to say thank you so much too all of you, for being so understanding and supportive, I couldn't have got this far without you and I love you all like my own flesh and blood"

"We love you too Greg" Sara says wrapping her arms around Greg's neck in embrace and giving him a quick peck on the cheek. She then moves out of the way to let Catherine do the same.

"See you when you wake up man" Warrick says giving Greg a smile and patting him on the shoulder.

"You'll be alright Greggo" Grissom says, he remains at the foot of the bed putting an arm around Sara to comfort her. It's weird hearing Grissom use Greg's nickname, but I don't think he'll make a habit of it, only on exceptional occasions.

"Thanks boss" Greg says with a smile.

Great now it's my turn. This is going to be hard. I really don't like expressing my feeling in front of crowds of people; I don't think Texans do deep emotions very well. To be honest I just don't want to say goodbye because if I do it'll feel like I'm giving up and it's all been for nothing. Like Greg is just going to slip away from me and I really don't want that. He is my best friend, my little brother.

"Erm guys would you mind leaving Nick and me" Greg says as he seems to have picked up I'm struggling. The team all say one last goodbye before leaving us alone.

"I'm sorry I'm just really not into this saying goodbye thing…but it's not going to be goodbye, right?" I say with a nervous laugh and Greg nods in understanding.

"Well…" he begins rather cautiously" I want you to know that out of everybody, I couldn't have done this without you. You stuck by me right from the start when you had the chance to just walk away. You shared the burden, you retaught me life, you saved me from that psychopath finishing me off and you didn't leave after we had that fight. You truly are my best friend, my brother… you brought me out of the darkness and I can't thank you enough for that."

"You make me sound like some kind of superhero" I say with a lopsided smile "but the reason I did all that stuff is because I care about you. You're my brother too and brothers stick together through thick and thin. I know you'd do the same if the roles were reversed. Yeah we fight sometimes but which siblings don't. You're going to get through this because I know you're a lot stronger then we probably give you credit for and ain't nothing or nobody gets the better of Greg Sanders."

"Thanks Nick" Greg says with a broad smile "now you gunna hug me or am I gunna have to come over there" he laughs.

"Mmm" I say pretending to think about this "I guess a hug is feasible given the circumstances" I say with a grin and I move over to the bed and we embrace each other.

After that I turn to leave but Greg grabs hold of my jacket sleeve.

"Hey hang on a sec!" he says giving me a warning look "don't think you're getting out of it that easily"

"Out of what?" I ask not following.

He leans over the side of the bed and pulls something out from underneath it. It's a neatly wrapped r package in blue paper. He hands it to me and I take it curiously. There is a label on it that reads: _Happy birthday Nick!_ I can't help but roll my eyes.

"Greg I thought I told you…"

"Yes and I ignored you" he says stubbornly. "Now I want you to promise me you'll open it tomorrow whether I wake up or not…"

"Greg you will…"

"Promise me" he says raising an eyebrow.

"Alright I promise" I say with a slight laugh, tucking the present under my arm.

Just then a doctor comes into the room followed by a couple of nurses.

"We're ready for you now Mister Sanders" he informs Greg "we've just come to administer the anaesthetic"

"Ok…well this is it" he says turning to me "I'll hopefully see you tomorrow"

"There's no _hopefully_ about it" I say firmly "you _will _see me tomorrow"

We exchange one last smile and I leave the room feeling…I don't really know to be honest. I turn and watch through the window as they start to give Greg the anaesthetic and his eyes close as he goes totally limp.

* * *

The rest of the team have headed off back to work but I have been given permission to stay at the hospital with Greg under the condition I call if anything happens. The permission part doesn't really matter because I've had stayed whether I had it or not. Greg's been in surgery for the past two hours now and I'm impatiently pacing up and down a random hallway not sure what to do with myself. People keep giving me funny looks like I'm a mental patient who shouldn't be out of bed, one young interne even asked if I needed help getting back to my room and I had to explain I wasn't a patient.

It's killing me not knowing what's going on in there. I know I kept telling Greg it would be ok, but there's going to be that feeling of doubt niggling away at me until I see that he's ok. I mean right now Greg's gunna have his head cut open and…ew… I can't even bare to think about it. I mean sure I've seen brains hundreds of times belonging to dead bodies, but I have to admit every time Doc Robins brings out that little saw and starts cutting their heads open it makes me feel sick, I think it's one of those things I'll never get used to.

"Nick?" I hear somebody say my name and they drag me out of my morbid thoughts. Its Mrs Sanders holding two cups of coffee "it is Nick right?" She asks with a nervous smile.

"Yes, thank you" I add as she hands me one of the coffee cups.

"Good, I should be able to get it right, the amount Greg talks about you" she says with a smile.

"Greg talks about me?" I ask curiously as we take a couple of seats nearby.

"Well sure. You know Greg doesn't have any brothers or sisters and you're the closest thing he has. Yes he speaks very highly of you and…Warrick is it? Tells me all the crazy stuff you guys get up too. He had a lonely childhood and he says you're making up for it now. You're the brothers he's always wanted."

I lean back in my chair as I try and take this in. I had no idea that Greg felt so strongly about me and Warrick, I mean the feeling is mutual I love him like a brother too but it's just weird to hear it coming from his mom.

"Plus When Greg's father was killed…." Greg's dad _was killed_? I'm shocked, nearly ten years I've known Greg and he's never said…

"I'm sorry I didn't know" I say quietly and Mrs Sanders gives me an appreciative smile. No wonder she's so protective of Greg, he's the only thing she has.

"Well, he lost that male influence in his life, that fatherly figure and I'm glad he seems to have found that again in Mister Grissom, mmm… Greg has the upmost respect for that man."

I can't help but smile broadly at this. Grissom a father. I find this quite hard to imagine for some reason…I mean Grissom's so…well he's Grissom. That's all that needs to be said really. I mean I guess I do have similar feelings, he's been my mentor for years now and always had my back…I should thank him more often for that.

"Thank you" she says to me seriously "For looking after him all the years he's been in Vegas. It makes me more at ease that I know Greggo has someone to look out for him and protect him when I can't."

"Ma'am it's not trouble at all. Greg's a great guy and I'd be proud to call him my brother and you should be proud of your son."

"I am" she says with a smile and she rubs my hand gently, I smile back.

We sit for about another hour when a surgeon comes out of the operating theatre. He approaches us taking off his gloves and pulling down his face mask.

"Are you here with Greg Sanders?" We nod simultaneously. "We're just about to bring him out and take him to a private room. Over all the operation seems to have been successful but the next few hours are critical and we'll have to wait until he wakes up to get a final result."

"but he is going to wake up right?" Mrs Sanders asks she grabs hold of the front of my shirt and she's shaking, I put my hand on hers trying to calm her.

"I'm afraid I can't be a hundred per cent sure about anything right now, but judging by the amount of anaesthetic we gave him he should wake up at nine am tomorrow morning."

"Ok thank you sir" I say to the surgeon as Greg's mom seems beyond words at the moment.

"C-can I s-see him" she asks quietly "can I see my boy"

"Yes of course, he should be all set up by now I'll take you to his room"

We follow the surgeon down the spiralling corridors and he leads us to a closed door with the blinds down so we can't see Greg yet.

"You go, I'll wait here for a bit" I say gently knowing she probably want's some alone time with her son. Mrs Sanders gives me an appreciative smile and goes into the room whilst I sit outside.

She re-emerges about half an hour later and shuts the door gently behind her. "I feel better now I've seen him…if it's alright with you I'm going to go back to my hotel and get some sleep. I'll be back for when he wakes up tomorrow."

"Yeah of course, no problem" I say and she gives me one last smile before walking away.

I immediately jump up and enter Greg's room. He lies perfectly still but there are tubes and wires poking out of him everywhere, including a heart rate monitor and an oxygen mask covering his face, they make me feel uneasy. I sit in the chair beside him and see the hideous scar on his head that has been left behind from the surgery, poor Greggo.

I settle myself as comfortable as possible and eventually let me head loll to one side and my eyes droop as exhaustion consumes me.

Now it is just a matter of waiting.


	20. Chapter 20: Memories

**A/N: Thanks so much for the reviews! Last chapter guys! Will everything turn out ok?**

**Please Review :D xx**

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**Chapter 20: Memories **

**Nick's POV… **

I'm sat on the floor in the corner of my bedroom.

I came home, locked all windows and doors, came in here, closed the curtains and sat slumped against the wall in the darkness, which at the moment represents my soul. I just sit staring into the distance reminding myself to blink every so often. My body trembles slightly and my eyes sting from the tears I've been fighting for the past few hours now.

Its Thursday….11 pm…. Greg has not woken up…

Doctors have declared him comatose and say if he doesn't wake up in the next 10 hours then it's unlikely he ever will. When they told us this I didn't really wait to see the others reactions, I just had to get out of there before I threw a chair through the window. All I heard were Mrs Sanders faint sobs trail behind me as I stormed down the corridor, nobody tried to stop me, good thing to or else they may have found themselves without a head.

My phone keeps ringing now though in my pocket. I rip it out and throw hard it at the wall opposite with a cry of rage and it smashes into pieces. I unhook the landline before that starts going too. I just can't deal with anyone right now, just me and my depressing thoughts.

I need a drink.

I drag myself to my feet and slump on into the kitchen. I rummage around in the top cabinet and pull out a bottle of whiskey, I don't even like whiskey, I just keep it for such desperate occasions. I rip to lid off and don't even bother to find a glass as I just take a massive swig. I pull a face as I don't really like the strong taste but I take another gulp anyway.

"Happy birthday to me, happy birthday to me…" I mumble to myself as I walk slowly over to the living room and sink down on the couch. I slam the bottle of whiskey down on the table and lean back in the sofa, rubbing my eyes with my hands.

Some happy birthday huh? Sara and Catherine bless them made me a cake and brought it to the lab this morning and I smiled and thanked them but I wasn't really in the mood, it just wasn't the same without Greg constantly reminding me how old I was like all my other birthdays. There is a pile of cards and gifts from all the guys at the lab and my family but they remain untouched, Greg's is on the top.

That's when I remember. I look down at my watch. 11:56 pm.

"_I want you to promise me you'll open it tomorrow whether I wake up or not…"_

Not being one to break a promise I take Greg's present and tear off the paper. A shiny silver photo frame is revealed. The frame is split in two. One the left side is the photo that I gave Greg of us and the rest of the team at his thirtieth birthday. On the right is a picture I didn't give him, one that I didn't know he'd kept. There is a note attached to the corner of the frame and I read it.

_This photo was taken of me and Nick at our secret spot at Lake Mead. It's the spot where if we've had a really tough case, or felt really down, we would go with a box of beers and just talk for most of the night. On this particular occasion it is New Year's Eve 2005. We had both had rough years and it was at that spot that Nick and I promised the next year would be better, so we decided to take a photo to commemorate that moment. And every time we looked at the photo we would always remember that it will get better._

_I remembered _

_Greg_

I look at the photo. We were sat by the side of the lake; Greg held the camera at arm's length whilst I wrapped my arm around his shoulder. He rested his head on mine and we smiled like nothing could ever take it away. I can't believe he managed to remember all that. My emotions at that moment are overwhelming me.

That's it…I make the split-second decision. Narrowing my eyes in determination I hug the frame tight to my chest and grab my car keys off the coffee table. I run down the stairs of my apartment block and run across the parking lot, jumping into my car. I start the engine and start to drive for the hospital. Yes, I know I'm being dangerous considering I've had a drink, but it was only a couple of mouthfuls, trust me I've driven after a lot more back in my teens. Don't tell anyone I said that.

I park at the hospital and burst through the front doors. A nurse calls after me but I ignore her as I stride down the corridor and straight into Greg's room. He is still in the same position as when I left him.

"You see this!" I say holding the pictures out in front of his face. I know I'm being crazy because he obviously can't see them or hear me for that matter, but I feel I need to say this. "This right here _proves_ that the old Greg is still in there! And I need you to fight and I need you to think about that statement we made, that things will always get better. So fight, fight because I know you're in there. You're strong, you've been strong the whole way through this and you can't give up now, you just can't not after everything you've been through"

Greg doesn't even show any sign of hearing me, just remains in his very, very deep sleep. I sigh and open the stand on the picture frame placing it on the table beside Greg. I pull up a chair and get comfortable as possible. I sit for a while my eyes flickering between the happy Greg in the photo and the broken Greg in the bed. He will become that happy Greg again, I know it.

I wake up the next morning still by Greg's side. It's 8am. There is just one hour left before we're supposed to accept the fact Greg will not wake up. To be honest I have given up hope, I bow my head and can't help but let a few tears slip from my eyes.

"Nicholas Parker Stokes" I hear a quiet voice. My eyes widen and I dare to raise my head.

Greg lies facing me with his eyes half open "Your name is Nicholas Parker Stokes." He repeats quietly "you grew up in Dallas, Texas. You worked as a cop there for two years and then moved to Vegas when you were twenty five. We met when you were thirty and I was twenty two and we work at the Las Vegas crime lab. You support the Dallas Cowboys football team, you're a secret Dolly Parton fan and your favourite pizza topping is peperoni and jalapenos. Your favourite movie is Die Hard, you speak fluent Spanish and you're my best friend…did I miss anything out?"

I just smile, smile like I haven't done it a long time. There are no words to describe the joy I feel as I lean over Greg and hug him tight, he hugs me back and I just can't believe it.

"Nope, that was perfect" I say pulling away and Greg grins broadly.

* * *

_**Greg's POV… **_

I remember it all.

My childhood, myself, my family and friends, it's a miracle, it has to be. I feel a bit weak still but I am just over the moon. This whole nightmare is over, I have my life back! Boy what a life… It's all so surreal, it almost feels like the past few weeks never happened but I will always remember they did.

My mom comes about half an hour after I woke up and she's all over me instantly, I become really embarrassed as Nick is still in the room and is trying hard not to laugh at me as I pull faces over my mom's shoulder. Nick eventually has to leave to call Grissom and tell him I'm awake.

"I'm so glad you're ok" my mum says sitting on the edge of my bed and stroking my hair.

"Me too, but you of all people should know how stubborn I can be, there was no way I was going to let this beat me" I say with a genuine smile and she smiles back.

Mom offers to stay in Vegas with me for a while but I insist I'll be fine and she should get back to my Step-Dad, who I know remember having. She makes me promise to call her every day for at least the next week which I agree to if it will keep her of sound mind. She leaves after a rather emotional good bye and Nick returns with a grin and tell me the guys will come down after shift to see me.

They arrive that night and I couldn't be happier to see them all.

"Ok so let me see…we have Catherine Willows whose guilty pleasure is a cold beer every night after work. Warrick Brown has a lucky ritual he does before he goes to a crime scene which is rubbing an old poker chip he inherited off his grandfather, Sara Sidle who secretly has the biggest crush on Daniel Craig ever. That leaves Gill Grissom, where do I even start…"

"I think its best you don't" Grissom says with a warning look, but I can see the smile beginning to form at the corner of his lips.

"Ok, but did I remember it all, right?"

"Yeah pretty much" Sara said with a smile.

"I'm so glad you're ok" Catherine says coming and giving me a hug. I spot the pictures I gave Nick over her shoulder.

"You like your present then?" I said raising an eyebrow at Nick.

"Yeah, it really helped" he says and I think I understand what he means by 'helped'

"Well that reminds me whilst we're all here…" Sara starts rummaging around in her bag "I managed to smuggle this is in" she pulls out a bottle of champagne and some cups. "It's from all of us. Happy birthday Nick" she grins and Nick takes the bottle.

"Thanks you guys" Nick says.

"Well open it then" I say rolling my eyes "my god I think we could all use a drink after the past few days"

Nick pops the cork of the top and pours us all a cup. He insists on only giving me a small amount because of my condition despite my protests.

"Speech!" Warrick and I say to Nick teasingly as we all have some champagne.

"Alright, alright." He says waving his hands "the past few weeks have been really tough and I almost lost one of my best friends" he says with a look at me "but I knew that everything would turn out ok, because we're not just a team of colleagues, we're a family and we stand by and support each other. So I can't think of a better way to share a birthday drink than with all of you, even if we're in a hospital. So a toast, to Vegas, to friendship, to us"

"To us" we all say raising our cups.

I couldn't have felt more happy than I did at that moment. I was surrounded by the people I love and we were talking and laughing as all the trauma of the past few weeks seemed to have been washed away. I became a victim of crime because I was better at my job than someone else and damn it I know I'm good, I shouldn't have to suffer because of my successes. I had my memory back and I realised how much I missed not knowing all those small details about my life, about my friends and family. But I had it all back now and I could reminisce about the past and feel complete again.

Yes. Life was good.

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**I would just like to say thank you to everyone who has reviewed this story, they just make me so happy! It is my longest, most reviewed and I've absolutely loved writing it. As you know I've already got another story on the go but I've got tonnes more ideas for other stories too! So watch this space ;)**

**A special thank you to**** lotzalove****Marymel**** and ****C.H.W.13**** who have reviewed like every chapter of this story, thanks for sticking around from beginning to end you guys! Xx **

**Lil Badger 101 3 xx **


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